PhD scholar of IIT Hyderabad creates bio-bricks from agri waste

A PhD scholar R Priyabrata Rautray from design department at IIT Hyderabad and an assistant professor R Avik Roy from KIIT School of Architecture, Bhubaneswar have jointly created bio-bricks from agricultural waste.

The bio-bricks serve as the dual purposes of waste management and the development of eco-friendly sustainable building material. Priyabrata said that it causes air pollution in the creation of the clay bricks. The creation of bio-bricks started in 1990, the scholar added. Around 500 million tonnes of Agri waste are being formed every year and 84-141 million tonnes of ash is released while preparing clay bricks, he said.

They are more durable than clay bricks and are also more sustainable said Avik Roy. A lime-based slurry is prepared and the chopped agro-waste is added to the slurry and mixed by hand to create a homogenous mixture, said Priyabrata.