Summary

Criaterra has developed a patented Bio-Geo Agglomerated Stone Technology, which produces innovative construction products with the strength of concrete and six times the insulation. The innovative low carbon technology eliminates the use of cement and significantly reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions during production. Their products are designed to replace conventional materials like masonry blocks, exterior cladding and the interior surfaces while improving their innate functional properties. Their process upcycles up to 70% of the raw materials, cuts energy usage in manufacturing by 90%, and maintains 100% recyclability and biodegradability. The company attempts to use local leftover raw materials as the foundation of their innovative products like concrete and asphalt industry leftovers. The company’s signature bio-geo stone is not fired at ultra high temperatures like cement and ceramic tiles normally are. Lower temperatures keep the material “alive” and this enables its circularity at its end of life. Their precast products are made at temperatures less than the boiling point of water and yet achieve the strength of concrete. This low energy utilization keeps the products’ carbon imprint much lower than conventional materials. After use (when it’s time for the building to be demolished), the products are designed to easily be remade into new tiles, unlike the end of life of materials like concrete and ceramic tiles. (Source)

Story

Founder Adital Ela was inspired by the Indian chai cup during a visit to India. She noticed that the Indian chai cup- an unfired clay mug that gets discarded in the ground for decomposition at the end of its life- simply goes back into the earth after use and can be remade into chai cups many times over. Ela used this concept to form Terra, a line of compressed-earth products such as stoops and lamps that come from dust and return to dust. Criaterra is an attempt to bring the same type of technology to building materials. She started the company in 2015. (Source)

Pic Credit: Criaterra (side) and Index Project (top)