GEIC signs NERD as Tier 1 partner for sustainable construction tech
Nationwide Engineering Research & Development (NERD) has signed a Tier 1 agreement with The University of Manchester青瓜视频檚 (GEIC), extending the ecosystem of key industrial partners working collaboratively on graphene and 2D material commercialisation at the University.
NERD is a standalone company, spun out from , formerly Tier 2 partners of the GEIC and responsible for the initial development of Concretene, a graphene-enhanced admixture for concrete that saves significantly on CO2 emissions and overall project costs.
In December, to help drive the programme of research and development required to bring Concretene to full commercial use.
The Tier 1 agreement provides for use of a dedicated lab within the Masdar Building, state-of-the-art concrete testing facilities and access to the unrivalled academic and engineering expertise in nanomaterials housed at The University of Manchester, the home of graphene.
Co-founder of NERD Alex McDermott is a civil engineering graduate of the University and is excited about his return to North Campus to deliver what he hopes will be the start of a new generation of sustainable construction materials.
青瓜视频淚青瓜视频檓 a Manchester lad from Failsworth and I did my degree here, so it青瓜视频檚 great to be back and helping to design solutions for an industry that urgently needs to decarbonise,青瓜视频� he says.
青瓜视频淲e青瓜视频檙e looking to build on the work we青瓜视频檝e already done with the GEIC in lab trials and real-world projects and take Concretene on to the next stage of full commercial rollout. There青瓜视频檚 still a journey to go on - R&D in this area is challenging - but the partnerships we青瓜视频檙e building with the University and with high-profile industry clients give us the best chance of success.青瓜视频�
James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester, said: 青瓜视频淲e have been working with Nationwide Engineering from the very beginning to help develop Concretene 青瓜视频� and therefore delighted to welcome NERD to the GEIC as a Tier 1 partner. This is an important milestone in this ambitious project and one we can all be very proud of.
青瓜视频淚n the past 18 months, we have rapidly gone from lab to pilot stage - and then scaled up to create 青瓜视频榣iving labs青瓜视频�, including a pioneering pour just outside the GEIC. But we are still at a relatively early stage along the road to commercialisation.
青瓜视频淭his new Tier 1 partnership will greatly help Concretene achieve its full potential to deliver a game-changing material to help us build more sustainably in the future 青瓜视频� we look forward to taking this programme to the next stage of delivery.青瓜视频�
NERD envisions a three-year journey to the roll-out of Concretene to the wider construction industry, alongside technical partner Arup 青瓜视频� the globally renowned provider of engineering and design services for the built environment - and leading infrastructure bodies including Heathrow and Manchester Airports, Network Rail, National Highways and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
These early adopters will see immediate benefits through reductions in embodied carbon, while assisting in the programme of laboratory work and large-scale field trials that will ultimately prove the reliability and reproducibility needed for successful commercial deployment of Concretene.
Matthew Lovell, Director at Arup, said: 青瓜视频淐ontinued innovation in the production of concrete and leaner design techniques are needed to support the construction industry青瓜视频檚 journey towards net zero carbon emissions.
青瓜视频淎rup is extremely interested in Concretene青瓜视频檚 potential to support transformative change in the built environment. Imagine what concrete with both enhanced engineering performance and substantially reduced carbon impact could contribute to our industry.青瓜视频�
Professor Bill Sampson, Chief Scientific Officer, GEIC, said: 青瓜视频�I青瓜视频檓 delighted to see Nationwide joining the GEIC as a Tier 1 partner. I look forward to working with them, with the support of academic colleagues from across the University青瓜视频檚 Faculty of Science and Engineering, to better understand and deliver the full potential promised by graphene-enhanced cementitious materials.青瓜视频�
Main picture: (l-r) Matthew Lovell, Director at Arup; Alex McDermott, co-founder NERD; Rob Hibberd, co-founder NERD; Dave Evans, Chief Financial Officer, NERD; Alan Beck, Head of Communications, NERD