Building Blocks
Sherri Cook
Mija Hubler
Wil Srubar
Prometheus Materials eyes expansion through increased production
Traditional cement production is responsible for about 7 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it a significant contributor to climate change.
So faculty at Boulder started developing a greener alternative. A Department of Defense-funded project launched in 2016 led to the creation of an eco-friendly cement with a minimal carbon footprint, emitting little to no carbon dioxide and recycling 95 percent of the water used in production.
In 2021, they made the move to commercialize the technology as Prometheus Materials. Founded by Associate Professors Sherri Cook, Mija Hubler and Wil Srubar of civil, environmental and architectural engineering, along with Jeff Cameron of biochemistry and CEO Loren Burnett, the Colorado-based company produces bio-concrete from the biomineralization of blue-green algae in a natural process similar to that which creates sea shells and coral reefs.
While initially focused on research and development, the company has since entered a commercialization phase, exploring the establishment of new facilities to transition from a single production line to multiple lines and to increase production, Hubler said.
“We’re in flux,” she said. “We’re dreaming bigger.”
Product development
Hubler said the “most exciting part” is that Prometheus Materials has successfully scaled production and launched a commercial product for the construction industry.
Initially, the team focused on assessing structural performance, particularly compressive strength. That led to the development of their inaugural product — the ProZero Bio-Block Masonry unit.
After constructing a pilot wall, the researchers put their ears to it and were met with a remarkable silence. Further tests confirmed the product’s efficacy in preventing sound from bouncing off or attenuating through walls. This discovery paved the way for another product, ProZero Sound Attenuation units. Potential uses include sound panels in large conference rooms and classrooms.
The researchers also evaluated the product’s suitability for pedestrian and parking surfaces, analyzing its response to environmental moisture. The outcomes were positive, prompting the development of a third product.
Proof points
But consumers can’t yet walk into a hardware store and buy a ProZero product off the shelf.
While Prometheus Materials has performed some pilot studies with large companies like Microsoft and has discussed potential applications for its products in Microsoft’s offices and warehouses, it will take years before the products will be available in places like Home Depot.
Hubler emphasized that the construction industry prefers “tried and true” materials and is cautious to adopt new ones. Larger construction firms play a crucial role in pioneering and embracing innovative products, serving as trailblazers to introduce these newer products into the market.
But there are multiple reasons why it’s the right time for the company to expand operations.
“The construction industry, building owners and developers are paying a lot more attention to carbon emissions, and our materials have reduced emissions,” Srubar said. “[Another] driver is the trend toward nature-based materials that don’t contain any ‘red list’ chemicals in them.”
Cook added that many companies have ambitious corporate sustainability goals but lack practical means to achieve them. Prometheus Materials provides a tangible avenue for these companies to start realizing their sustainability objectives.
Srubar echoed the strategic importance of working with these firms, whose teams of architects and engineers collaborate in designing and engineering structures using innovative materials.
