An innovative approach using coffee grounds is transforming Melbourne’s roads.
- Coffee-infused concrete is being used in the Pakenham Roads Upgrade.
- The project is part of Victoria’s ambitious infrastructure programme, Victoria’s Big Build.
- Biochar from coffee grounds offers both environmental and structural benefits.
- The technique reduces landfill waste and enhances concrete strength by up to 30%.
An innovative solution is reshaping Melbourne’s urban landscape: coffee-infused concrete. This breakthrough is being applied on McGregor Road, Pakenham, as part of Victoria’s expansive infrastructure initiative, Victoria’s Big Build. The project, coordinated by Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) with BildGroup as the contractor, showcases a transformative use of organic waste, aimed at enhancing sustainability in construction.
The material, developed by researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, incorporates biochar derived from used coffee grounds. The environmental implications are significant as used coffee accounts for a notable portion of landfill waste, contributing approximately 3% to total greenhouse gas emissions. In Australia alone, around 75 million kilograms of coffee grounds are discarded annually. By converting these into biochar, the project not only addresses waste management issues but also substitutes a considerable amount of sand in concrete formulations, contributing to a more sustainable building material.
In practical terms, five tonnes of spent coffee grounds—essentially the remnants from about 140,000 cups of coffee—were processed by Earth Systems into two tonnes of biochar. This biochar was used to create 30 cubic metres of concrete for the Pakenham footpath project. Brendan Pauwels, program director at MRPV, expressed enthusiasm over the project’s ecological potential, remarking on the pioneering use of coffee-derived concrete in Victoria’s infrastructure.
Rajeev Roychand, a postdoctoral research fellow from RMIT, highlighted the dual benefits of the initiative: it diverts organic waste from landfills while simultaneously reducing greenhouse emissions through the conversion process. The novel method not only benefits the environment but enhances the strength of concrete by 30%, achieved by heating the coffee grounds to 350°C in an oxygen-free environment. Though initial trials, such as one in Gisborne, matched standard concrete strength due to supply chain challenges, these tests laid the groundwork for broader application and commercialisation.
Supported by positive trial outcomes, RMIT is actively collaborating with commercial partners across diverse sectors to further commercialise biochar products. This cross-sectoral partnership aims to maximise the ecological and structural advantages offered by biochar, signalling a promising development in resource-efficient construction.
Melbourne’s use of coffee-infused concrete marks a significant forward step in sustainable construction.
