Today we use more concrete than any substance, other than water.

[rcjordan]

Building's hard problem - making concrete green - BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56716859

[Rupert]

This is also an interesting listen on the subject:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08jclmh
I think this is the one where he talks about $150 of concrete will lift a family out of poverty.

[ergophobe]

Recently awarded XPrize for two groups making concrete slightly less damaging to the environment
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/x-prize-winners-use-co2-emissions-to-make-concrete/

Updated: here's the announcement at XPrize
https://www.xprize.org/prizes/carbon/articles/xprize-announces-the-two-winners-of-20m-nrg-cosia-carbon-xprize-with-each-team-creating-valuable-products-out-of-co2-emissions

[ergophobe]

These ingenious floors use 70% less concrete and 90% less steel

https://www.fastcompany.com/90695588/these-ingenious-floors-use-70-less-concrete-and-90-less-steel

[Rupert]

Nice find...

A Bit of hearsay I heard:

A quote on the radio about someone at COP26, who runs a cement factory, said to a reporter he was looking to make concrete Net Zero.

The reporter implied it is impossible.


Nothing can be impossible, but it can be expensive. That Floor helps stop the cost of building going up.  Like it.

[rcjordan]

Really interesting.  I'd love to see the fabricating process firsthand.

At this proof-of-concept stage it looks very labor-intensive.  Also looks like a perfect job for AI, robot welders, & 3d printing of the concrete.  I envision off-site production of these 'slabs' delivered to the jobsite.

[Brad]

> floors

This idea has legs. With those kind of reductions in materials it's too good to pass up.  Like RC indicates a lot of technologies are all coming together at the right time to make this possible.

Sorta Related:

We Finally Know Why Ancient Roman Concrete Outlasts Our Own

https://science.howstuffworks.com/why-ancient-roman-concrete-stronger-than-modern.htm

The formula has been lost, but if we could replicate it, it would be useful for many marine uses like break walls, especially with rising sea levels.