New road material paves the way to net zero

Durham County Council and roads resurfacing partner Rainton Construction – part of the MGL Group – are using a new type of asphalt for the resurfacing works at Elvet Hill in Durham.

The product, designed and manufactured by Durham University spinout Low Carbon Materials (LCM), utilises the carbon removal technology of sequestration. This sees the material capture and store carbon dioxide, permanently removing it from the atmosphere.

This new material will play a key role in carbon reduction and, when used in conjunction with other sustainable materials, allows the project to be significantly lower in emissions than standard resurfacing works.

LCM spun out of Durham University in 2019, created by three scientists, Natasha Boulding, Scott Bush and Phil Buckley, with a vision to transform the construction sector with their pioneering low-carbon building materials. The company has gone on to receive an array of awards and nominations, most notably as a finalist in the Fix Our Climate category for The Earthshot Prize.

LCM was the first postgraduate research student spinout supported by the Northern Accelerator programme; securing pre-incorporation funding, participating in Future Founders training and benefitting from the Executives into Business programme.

Image 1: (L-R) David Elliott, MGL Group’s joint chief executive, Alan Patrickson, Durham County Council’s corporate director for neighbourhoods and climate change, and Dr Natasha Boulding, Low Carbon Materials CEO