Indore:

Indian Institute of Technology Indore has developed the first natural foaming agent based on cow dung that can act as an insulator when mixed with modern construction materials like concrete, making them lighter, officials said on Tuesday. .

They say the foaming agent GOBAiR is the first of its kind in the country.

Officials say adding this environmentally friendly product to building materials will not only reduce home construction costs but also make buildings warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

This innovative product is completely natural and is more environmentally friendly and economical than chemical foaming agents on the market.

GOBAiR was developed by Professor Sandeep Chaudhary and his PhD student Sanchit Gupta.

“We are working on ways and means to generate higher income from cow dung and support Gaushalas (cattle shed) management of stray cattle. This is how GOBAiR was born,” said Professor Chaudhary.

He claims GOBAiR can achieve lightweight concrete that costs about 24% less to produce than commercially used building materials.

“The product shows better economics and performance than red clay bricks and fly ash bricks available in the market. If the profit is converted into monetary value, then the revenue from wet cow dung can be increased from less than Rs 1 per kg currently Over Rs 4,” according to a press release issued by the Indian Institute of Technology, Indore.

GOBAiR can be added to concrete, bricks, tiles and blocks to produce a variety of sustainable building materials.

The report states that construction using GOBAiR will be more environmentally friendly and will help score more points in green building ratings.

The team is currently developing a specification sheet that the construction industry can use as a ready reference for adding GOBAiR to concrete.

The team has also approached IGBC to obtain green product certification for building products made from GOBAir. The press release adds that a patent has been filed for this innovative technology.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)