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Concrete and clay products used in the building industry are known to have a negative environmental impact in terms of mining (environmental degradation) and production (energy intensiveness and emissions). Bricks and blocks made from cement and clay remain the most used and readily available products. Hence, in order to minimise the environmental impact, BioBricks, made from waste sugar cane bagasse ash, offer significant environmental an local enterprise development benefits.
This project aims to maximise these benefits, given the abundance of raw waste materials available from the sugar manufacturing industry in the KwaZulu-Natal province.
The manufacture of green bricks is a step towards the advancement of green building, which includes using environmentally-friendly, non-toxic materials, reducing waste and using recycled materials. Municipalities have agreed to be the first buyers of the bricks. BioBricks are being used in green estates in different regions of KZN and Corobrick has been identified as a sub-segment to approach at a later stage.
The BioBricks project is the development of value-added products to generate wealth for a sustainable economy. ‘Clever building materials’ are produced from different waste streams without the use of energy. DUT embraces sustainability and society as two of the main ‘Perspectives’ in its ENVISION 2030. The project helps the sugar cane crushing industries to pay less carbon tax for carbon dioxide emissions and air pollution. Furthermore, the project supports a few global initiatives and national strategies such as the Department of Science and Innovation’s Bioeconomy strategy, Millennium Development Goals, Sustainable Development Goals, Africa’s Agenda 2063, Low Carbon Growth Plan, to name but a few. It will help South Africa to transition towards a low carbon economy while supporting its waste economy strategy. DUT is transitioning towards being an entrepreneurial university and this platform will also sharpen industry partnerships, which is one of DUT’s current mandates to assist student placement after graduation.
Dr Linda Z. Linganiso Dr Farai Dziike, Dr Linda Z. Linganiso and Prof S. Moyo Email: researchdirector@dut.ac.za
Development of Technology Innovation: January 2021 – December 2023
910 000
