Karbonix

According to some estimates, Australia will need more than five million new homes by 2050. But traditional construction is slow, costly and carbon-intensive.

Professor Tuan Ngo, Professor Tai Thai, Associate Professor Xuemei Liu, and Associate Professor Rackel San Nicolas from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology are working with Karbonix Technologies, a University of Melbourne spinout and Melbourne-based  cleantech company specialising in advanced materials and modular construction, to develop ultra-low emission precast production platforms that could transform how Australia builds.

The technology combines novel concrete formulations, AI-driven digital twins, and advanced manufacturing systems to reduce curing times by up to 50 per cent. The result: panels that are up to 40 per cent cheaper to produce and embody 60 per cent less carbon than conventional alternatives.

The partnership is now scaling towards pilot housing and infrastructure projects in Australia.