New roller disco at Escape to Freight Island to be made using futuristic new material
A graphene-based material called concretine is being used to create a new mezzanine level in a world-first.
Building work is underway on the new 54x14-metre mezzanine floor for the roller disco at Escape to Freight Island in Mayfield Depot, Manchester, and the use of concretine will make the project more eco-friendly and cheaper for developers.
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Hide AdConcretine needs less materials and less steel reinforcement, reducing C02 emissions. Regular cement production accounts for about 8% of global CO2 emissions.
The roller disco installation is the first ever commercial use of concretene in a suspended slab and marks a huge step towards testing and developing it as a widely-used building material, allowing it to be used as a substitute for concrete on an industrial scale.
The material has been developed by the University of Manchester’s Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) and Nationwide Engineering, a company co-founded by a former University of Manchester civil engineering graduate, Alex McDermott.
Mr McDermott said: “As world leaders in Graphene Enhanced Concrete technology, the interest from the international building industry has been beyond expectations, as looming legislation is forcing significant carbon reductions throughout construction.”
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Hide AdJames Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester, added: “This Manchester-based technology can also contribute to levelling up by positioning our region as a global R&D centre for sustainable materials for the construction industry – attracting investment, creating new businesses and offering high-wage jobs.”
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