Industry and Research Working Together

Concrete in Australia Magazine 50.3 (Sep 2024)

By bringing industry, government and academia together with a powerful shared goal, SmartCrete CRC is planning to make net-zero concrete real.

With the support and cooperation of the entire concrete and cement value chain, a successful transition to carbon neutral concrete is absolutely possible.

In 2021, the Decarbonisation Pathways for the Australian Cement and Concrete Sector report established a clear roadmap for the industry to lower its CO2 emissions and decarbonise by 2050.

Powerful partnerships with real outcomes

According to SmartCrete CRC CEO Clare Tubolets, the report has been instrumental for the CRC in connecting researchers and industry experts and establishing partnerships that give their participants an edge in terms of sustainability, efficiency and competitive advantage.

“One partnership between Macquarie University and Sydney Water is developing sensor tech for water authorities to improve condition monitoring for their asset management,” Tubolets says.

“The technology is designed to monitor the deterioration of sewer pipe systems – the most aggressive environment for concrete – so that repair and maintenance can be managed more easily. The sensors are now being
trialled in the field with positive early results for faster, easier asset management.”

Water authorities in most states are now taking part in SmartCrete CRC supported research.

“The power is in our network. We bring together businesses and researchers who are keen to collaborate to generate new knowledge, products, processes and services that propel Australia’s concrete sector forward,” Tubolets says.

These connections also help organisations identify issues, opportunities and challenges, for instance in terms of sustainability goals, she says. SmartCrete CRC exists to broker relationships that break through those barriers, providing opportunities for organisations to hit their sustainability targets through knowledge and innovation.

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