We all know the importance of Concrete, which is widely used to make sustenance and construction possible, all around the world. What we don’t know is that cement- a major component of concrete, contributes massively towards carbon emissions, with almost 8%of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions coming from it.

Along with cement, steel, bricks and other building material too have their share in processes, that lead to global warming and environmental change.

However, armed with increasing awareness and research, many construction companies are making a difference in making construction sustainable, and this planet a more liveable one. Here are a few Indian startups that are working relentlessly towards this cause.

1. GreenJams

GreenJams, an award-winning cleantech social enterprise, helps in constructing buildings with carbon-negative materials and solutions. The Vishakhapatnam-based company makes carbon-negative material from crop residues like bagasse, cotton stalks, and paddy straw.

Their popular product Agrocrete is said to minimize construction costs by 50% and increase building energy efficiency by 25%.

2. Strawcture Eco

Founded by civil engineer Shriti Pandey, the company uses Straw which is leftover from crops like wheat, coconut, rice, and sugarcane, which are manufactured abundantly in India, to make commercially sound, eco-friendly building materials.

Straw as a product is renewable, fire-resistant, and provides five times the thermal insulation provided by a brick-motor wall. The company’s products like AgriBioPanels are superhit in the market.

3. Angirus

This Udaipur-based company offers viable technology to make bricks and paver blocks used in construction and building. These are lightweight and dampness-proof.

Angirus makes products that are totally made from recycled plastic waste and industrial waste. This addresses major problems like minimizing air pollution caused due to bricks and also reduces the impact of plastic, construction, and demolition waste.

Their product WRICKS, a high-quality brick is stronger, more waterproof, and made from recyclable material. It doesn’t even require to be soaked in water before laying and can be made in a day as per requirement.

4. Zerund

Zerund produces recycled bricks called Plastic Embedded Lightweight Bricks. These are 50% lighter in weight than traditional clay bricks and are earthquake, fire, and pest-resistant.

They also offer thermal and noise insulation. And claims to reduce construction time by half and prove 30% cost-beneficial.

5. Hexpressions

Jaipur-based Hexpressions offers recyclable and eco-friendly green homes, made out of composite paper honeycomb panels, as the inner core and local materials like wood, stone, and cement for the outer core.

These honeycomb panels, which are semi-permanent materials significantly reduce carbon footprint and construction time, thereby raising affordability.