Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the University of Tokyo have developed a new material called Botanical Sand Concrete (Sandcrete). By binding desert sand with powdered wood using heat and pressure, they’ve created a viable construction block that could reduce the environmentally destructive mining of river sand, offering a sustainable alternative for arid regions.
Deserts cover nearly 19 million square miles of our planet—an almost unimaginable amount of sand that has been largely useless for construction. Meanwhile, the global building industry voraciously mines riverbeds and coastal areas for sand, causing severe ecological damage. What if we could build with the endless dunes instead? A cross-continental team of engineers has done just that, turning barren desert sand into a practical pavement material.
This innovative material, named Botanical Sand Concrete (BSC) or Sandcrete, is the focus of new research. About the product addresses a critical dual problem: it provides a use for the vast, fine-grained deserts of the world while offering an alternative to the destructive extraction of construction-grade sand from sensitive ecosystems.
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The challenge has always been that desert sand grains are too smooth and round to lock together in traditional cement. “The concrete will not be hard enough to be used in construction projects,” explained Ren Wei, a postdoctoral fellow at NTNU and lead author of the study in the Journal of Building Engineering. The team’s breakthrough came from an unexpected binder: wood.
The basic function of Sandcrete relies on a natural chemical process, not Portland cement. The recipe combines equal parts desert sand and powdered wood scraps. This mixture is subjected to high heat 356 °F (180 °C) and pressure in a hot-pressing machine. The key is lignin, the natural polymer in wood. Under these conditions, the lignin softens and acts as a powerful bio-based glue, bonding the sand particles into solid blocks that meet Japanese Industrial Standards for pavement bricks.
The collaboration between the innovator and engineer was essential. The research was led by Ren Wei at NTNU, with contributions from the University of Tokyo. Wei and the team experimented extensively with different sand types and mix ratios to perfect the formula, demonstrating how interdisciplinary materials science can solve a global resource issue.
The summary of its value is significant for sustainable development. It transforms two waste streams—desert sand and wood scraps—into a low-carbon construction product, potentially preserving rivers and coastlines from further degradation.
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However, the technology is not yet a global fix. A primary limitation is its regional practicality. The researchers stress it makes the most economic and environmental sense in arid areas near deserts to avoid the carbon cost of long-distance transport. “We need to test more, including how it can withstand cold, before it can be used in Norway,” Wei noted. The team is also exploring whether agricultural waste could replace wood to make the process even more circular.
While you won’t be strolling on desert sand sidewalks in Oslo soon, this research paves a promising path. By leveraging natural chemistry and local waste, engineers from Norway and Japan have built a compelling case for looking to the world’s deserts not as wastelands, but as future, sustainable quarries.
