Coffee concrete wins national research award

RMIT University's coffee concrete innovators won an award at Universities Australia's Shaping Australia Awards in the Problem Solver category after tallying the most votes from the public, according to a statement released by the university.

The team, led by Dr Rajeev Roychand and Professor Jie Li, developed concrete strengthened by 30 per cent using biochar made from spent coffee grounds, reducing waste going to landfill. The coffee biochar replaces a portion of the sand used in concrete production.

Roychand and Li received the Problem Solver 2024 People's Choice Winner award at Parliament House in Canberra on Sunday.

The innovation addresses significant sustainability challenges. Australia generates around 75,000 tonnes of ground coffee waste annually, contributing to 6.87 million tonnes of organic waste in landfills, which account for 3 per cent of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions.

“Winning this national award is outstanding recognition of our vision to transform waste materials into valuable construction resources,” said Roychand from the School of Engineering.

Within a year, the team progressed from laboratory research to real-world applications with industry and government partners, including a footpath trial in Gisborne. Their coffee concrete is also being used in Victoria's Big Build projects and is displayed in Germany's Futurium museum.

Associate Professor Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch, a Taungurung man from Mansfield in Victoria, noted: “By integrating the circular economy with advanced materials engineering, we're creating new pathways for reducing carbon emissions while enhancing structural performance.”

RMIT is currently working with a commercialisation partner to translate the innovation into a commercial reality.

Picture: supplied