Hardware FixRecommendedDevice not working? Your driver may be the problemCheck updates for common hardware issues.Fix DriversOctober DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsSlow PC?RecommendedPC slow today? Run a repair scan before it gets worseResolve common Windows issues and optimize system performance.Scan Now×
Skip to content
Bettesworth Construction
biochar

Can Coffee Grounds Make Concrete Stronger—and Could It Build Skyscrapers?

RMIT’s coffee-biochar concrete showed a 29.3% compressive-strength improvement in one laboratory mix. Field demonstrations have involved footpaths—not skyscrapers.

By Bettesworth Construction Team 3 min read
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Researchers at RMIT University have turned spent coffee grounds into biochar and used it to replace part of the sand in concrete. In a 2023 laboratory study, the tested mix showed a 29.3% compressive-strength improvement. That is a promising materials result, not proof that coffee-based concrete can build skyscrapers: the documented field uses are footpaths, and the mix has not been established here as certified for high-rise structural work.

How coffee grounds become a concrete ingredient

Raw spent coffee grounds are not simply poured into concrete. Their organic matter can decompose and weaken the material. Instead, the RMIT process dries and heats the grounds in an oxygen-limited process called pyrolysis, producing a carbon-rich material known as biochar. RMIT described treating the grounds at 350°C without oxygen.

The biochar then replaces a portion of the fine aggregate—in practical terms, some of the sand—in a concrete mix. The approach aims to give a waste material a second use while reducing reliance on natural sand. It is the processed biochar, not untreated coffee grounds, that is incorporated into the studied concrete.

What the 29.3% strength result does—and does not—show

The 2023 study in Journal of Cleaner Production reported a 29.3% compressive-strength enhancement for its tested coffee-biochar concrete composite. RMIT’s announcement summarized the result as about 30%. The figure belongs to that particular laboratory mix and test; it is not a guaranteed improvement across concrete recipes, construction conditions, or structural designs. The journal paper record and abstract describe the study, while RMIT’s 2023 announcement explains the process and its context.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Sale
SIKA Sikacryl Ready-Mix Concrete Repair Patch, Gray, Textured, 1 qt 1-Pack
  • FOR EASY REPAIRS — It's the ideal concrete patch repair mix, neatly fixing cracks and spalls so your property looks like new. It's even textured for a more seamless blend with the existing structure
  • TOUGH AND DURABLE — Formulated to avoid shrinking or cracking, the ready-to-use premixed cement patch offers good adhesion and high strength so your slabs, walls & walkways/sidewalks perform as good as ever
  • EASY CLEANUP — Sika concrete patch is acrylic-based, so once application is done, it cleans up using only water. No need for special cleaners and chemicals
  • GREEN — It follows regulations concerning the use of volatile organic compounds (VOC), helping to keep the air we breathe cleaner and fresher
  • A BREEZE TO USE — Minimal prep is required, since it comes premixed. Just use a putty or trowel to spread where repairs are needed. It takes only a few hours to set and about a day for a full cure

Compressive strength is one important property, but a single laboratory result does not establish suitability for a skyscraper. The sources document concrete samples and footpath applications; they do not document a coffee-biochar high-rise or establish approval of the mix for high-rise structural use. Before such use could be claimed, project-specific design, validation, and alignment with applicable standards would matter.

Why the field results differ from the lab headline

RMIT and Macedon Ranges Shire Council trialled coffee-biochar concrete in a footpath in Gisborne, Victoria. RMIT later reported that the trial concrete had strength similar to standard concrete. Supply limitations meant the project could not use the low-energy biochar process used for the laboratory work, an important reason not to treat the lab result as a field guarantee. RMIT’s research impact page describes the Gisborne trial.

Rank #2
Instant Anchoring Cement, 10 Pound Bag, Quick Setting, Anchoring Mix
  • QUICK SETTING: Sets in 20 minutes
  • VERSATILE: Indoor, and outdoor use
  • EASY TO USE: Ready to use! Just add water, mix, and use!
  • MULTIPLE SURFACES: Handrails, bolts, poles, fixtures, and more
  • PRACTICAL SIZE: 10 pound bag saves your back while providing plenty of cover

In 2024, coffee-biochar concrete was also used in a footpath section of the Pakenham Roads Upgrade in Victoria. RMIT reported that Earth Systems processed 5 tonnes of spent grounds into 2 tonnes of biochar for that installation. This shows that the material has reached infrastructure field demonstrations, but a footpath section is not evidence of use in a high-rise frame. RMIT’s 2024 account of the Pakenham project also discusses the supply constraint affecting the Gisborne trial.

What the carbon figures mean

A 2025 life-cycle analysis reported carbon dioxide reductions for assessed scenarios in which biochar replaced different shares of sand. The figures below are scenario results reported by RMIT, not guaranteed savings for any particular project or recipe.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #3
Quikrete concrete mix 10 lb 6 bags
  • Quikrete #110110 10LB Concrete Mix
  • QUIKRETE COMPANIES
Biochar replacement of sand Reported life-cycle CO₂ reduction
5% 15%
10% 23%
15% 26%

These replacement levels describe the scenarios in the assessment; they should not be read as interchangeable construction specifications. Actual outcomes depend on the concrete mix and production conditions. RMIT says larger pilots, mix optimisation, and alignment with standards are still needed before projects can adopt the material confidently. RMIT’s 2025 report sets out the life-cycle figures and next steps.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Is coffee concrete ready for ordinary construction?

The evidence supports an emerging construction-material research story, not a routine, ready-to-order product. The documented projects are footpath demonstrations, and the laboratory strength gain does not by itself establish performance in other mixes or structural applications. RMIT has identified larger pilots, mix optimisation, and standards alignment as steps still ahead.

Rank #4

For now, the most grounded claim is that spent coffee grounds can be processed into biochar and used as a partial sand substitute in concrete. The work is notable because it could connect a waste stream with demand for a mined construction input—but the skyscraper possibility remains a future question, not a demonstrated use. In RMIT’s 2025 report, Dr Mohammad Saberian said: “Next steps include larger pilots, mix optimisation and alignment with standards so projects can adopt this confidently.”

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 2
Instant Anchoring Cement, 10 Pound Bag, Quick Setting, Anchoring Mix
Instant Anchoring Cement, 10 Pound Bag, Quick Setting, Anchoring Mix
QUICK SETTING: Sets in 20 minutes; VERSATILE: Indoor, and outdoor use; EASY TO USE: Ready to use! Just add water, mix, and use!
$21.99
Bestseller No. 3
Quikrete concrete mix 10 lb 6 bags
Quikrete concrete mix 10 lb 6 bags
Quikrete #110110 10LB Concrete Mix; QUIKRETE COMPANIES
$53.69
Bestseller No. 4
SAKRETE OF NORTH AMERICA 110310 10 lb Sand Mix
SAKRETE OF NORTH AMERICA 110310 10 lb Sand Mix
This product adds a great value
$18.59
Bestseller No. 5
HARTLINE 10001 Rockite Expansion Cement 15 Min 1 Lb
HARTLINE 10001 Rockite Expansion Cement 15 Min 1 Lb
This item Rockite expansion cement 15 min 1 lb; Used for hardware, glue; The product is manufactured in United States
$7.40
Best Value
HARTLINE 10001 Rockite Expansion Cement 15 Min 1 Lb
  • This item Rockite expansion cement 15 min 1 lb
  • Used for hardware, glue
  • The product is manufactured in United States
  • Model number: 10001

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Site Office

Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.