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Concrete is the world’s second-largest source of climate emissions – and demand for it is growing fast.

The biggest emission from traditional concrete comes from the production of its main ingredient: Portland cement. The Radical Ceramics research group is challenging this with geopolymer materials, which use clay and industrial or small-scale waste as binders instead of cement.

In lab tests, geopolymer mixtures made from Finnish clay have proven up to twice as strong as traditional concrete. They also require no high-temperature curing, significantly reducing the use of energy. This innovation enables using onsite local clay in construction, which currently often has to be excavated and discarded as waste.

“Geopolymers are a fantastically versatile material. They can be used in art, industrial ceramics, building elements and infrastructure. Now we need partners to help us scale these ideas and research into industrial production,” says Professor Jussi Leveinen.