USU Researchers Looking Into Sustainable Alternatives to Concrete

Promising research is taking root in the world of structural engineering, led by a local environmental engineer. Erika Espinosa Ortiz is transforming the way we think about building materials, aiming to reduce one of the largest contributors to global CO2 emissions — concrete.

Originally from Mexico, Espinosa-Ortiz has spent the last nine years working in laboratories around the world. From research stints at Montana State University to her current role as an assistant professor at Utah State University, her career is defined by groundbreaking research into soil pollution and wastewater treatment.

However, it is her current research that could have a transformative impact on one of the world's most pressing environmental problems. Cement production is responsible for 8% of global human-caused CO2 emissions. The majority of this comes from the chemical processes involved in making cement, the primary ingredient in concrete. Seeking cleaner alternatives, Espinosa-Ortiz has turned to an unexpected source: microbes.

“My work focuses on using bacteria and fungi to create alternative materials to traditional cement through a process known as biomineralization,” she said. “This method involves microbial builders that induce the precipitation of minerals, forming solid structures that act as building blocks.”