Theseus Development develops green building materials using geopolymers

Ghanaian startup Theseus Development produces an alternative to cement-based concrete for the construction industry, called “geopolymers.” Not only is this material made from minerals that are abundant in the earth’s crust as well as industrial waste, but the production process also emits no CO2.

The thermal conductivity of this material is very low, so buildings built with it are naturally thermally efficient. In addition, this material is very durable and resilient. These properties prove that geopolymers are a more environmentally friendly solution than cement-based concrete, increasing the availability of building materials and contributing to a circular economy approach.

For these reasons, the International Center for Sustainable Chemistry Cooperation (ISC3) has selected Theseus Development as the ISC3 Startup of the Month for August 2024.

Geopolymers offer a new way to make concrete materials. Here, the binder is made from aluminosilicates, a mineral that occurs naturally in large quantities in the earth’s crust. While the production process of cement requires chemical separation from limestone at extreme temperatures and emits CO2, for geopolymers the process is energy-efficient and does not produce emissions. More specifically, the source minerals only need to be ground to a certain particle size to become reactive.

The use of aluminosilicates contributes to a circular economy, as 60% of quarry or mine waste is made up of aluminosilicates. Buildings constructed from this material not only save on construction material costs, but also on temperature regulation costs, as geopolymers have low thermal conductivity, meaning that the material does not transfer heat or cold, but retains it. Since chemical extraction of the source minerals is not required, more buildings can be built at a faster rate without compromising the material.