Liiv Jüri, Githuku Catherine Rwamba, Mwai Marclus, Mändar Hugo, Ritslaid Peeter, Shanskiy Merrit, Rikmann Ergo
Cellula Ltd., Raua 1, 10124 Tallinn, Estonia.
Department of Civil Engineering, Kenyatta University, Nairobi P.O. Box 43844-00100, Kenya.
Materials (Basel). 2025 Jul 28;18(15):3534. doi: 10.3390/ma18153534.
This study presents a cost-effective, carbon-negative construction material for affordable housing, developed entirely from locally available agricultural wastes: rice husk ash, wood ash, and rice straw-materials often problematic to dispose of in many African regions. Rice husk ash provides high amorphous silica, acting as a strong pozzolanic agent. Wood ash contributes calcium oxide and alkalis to serve as a reactive binder, while rice straw functions as a lightweight organic filler, enhancing thermal insulation and indoor climate comfort. These materials undergo natural pozzolanic reactions with water, eliminating the need for Portland cement-a major global source of anthropogenic CO emissions (~900 kg CO/ton cement). This process is inherently carbon-negative, not only avoiding emissions from cement production but also capturing atmospheric CO during lime carbonation in the hardening phase. Field trials in Kenya confirmed the composite's sufficient structural strength for low-cost housing, with added benefits including termite resistance and suitability for unskilled laborers. In a collaboration between the University of Tartu and Kenyatta University, a semi-automatic mixing and casting system was developed, enabling fast, low-labor construction of full-scale houses. This innovation aligns with Kenya's Big Four development agenda and supports sustainable rural development, post-disaster reconstruction, and climate mitigation through scalable, eco-friendly building solutions.
本研究展示了一种具有成本效益的负碳建筑材料,用于经济适用房建设,该材料完全由当地可得的农业废弃物制成:稻壳灰、木灰和稻草——在许多非洲地区,这些材料往往难以处理。稻壳灰含有高含量的无定形二氧化硅,可作为一种强效火山灰材料。木灰提供氧化钙和碱,用作活性粘结剂,而稻草则作为轻质有机填料,增强隔热性能和室内气候舒适度。这些材料与水发生天然火山灰反应,无需使用波特兰水泥——全球人为二氧化碳排放的主要来源之一(约900千克二氧化碳/吨水泥)。这一过程本质上是负碳的,不仅避免了水泥生产过程中的排放,还在硬化阶段的石灰碳酸化过程中捕获大气中的二氧化碳。肯尼亚的现场试验证实,这种复合材料对于低成本住房具有足够的结构强度,还有抗白蚁等额外优点,且适合非技术工人施工。在塔尔图大学和肯雅塔大学的合作中,开发了一种半自动搅拌和浇筑系统,能够快速、低人力地建造全尺寸房屋。这一创新符合肯尼亚的四大发展议程,并通过可扩展的环保建筑解决方案支持可持续农村发展、灾后重建和气候缓解。
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