Coffee Concrete Makes Cut For National Research Award – CoffeeTalk

Universities Australia has shortlisted RMIT University’s coffee concrete innovators for the 2024 Shaping Australia Awards in the Problem Solver category. The team, consisting of Professor Jie Li, Dr Rajeev Roychand, Dr Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch, and Dr Mohammad Saberian, has developed a method that strengthens concrete by 30% using biochar made from spent coffee grounds. This innovative solution addresses sustainability challenges, as Australia generates around 75,000 tonnes of ground coffee waste annually, contributing to 6.87 million tonnes of organic waste in landfills, which accounts for 3% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The People’s Choice voting is open to all Australians, and the team is calling on RMIT staff, students, and the broader community to cast their vote to help bring their invention to the world stage. Their project, titled ‘Latte-street innovation: coffee-infused concrete’, addresses waste management challenges and conserves river sand, making headlines worldwide.

RMIT Vice-Chancellor Professor Alec Cameron endorsed the team’s nomination for the 2024 Shaping Australia Awards. The team has progressed from lab to real-world applications with industry and government partners, including a world-first footpath trial in Gisborne. Their coffee concrete is being used in Victoria’s Big Build projects and displayed in Germany’s Futurium museum as an innovative material for a sustainable future.

Partnerships with international industry leaders, such as Sweden’s C-Green, have opened new research avenues. With venture capital-backed commercialisation underway, this innovation is having a significant impact in the circular economy and construction industry.

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