Tejas Sidnal is founder of Carbon Tile, the world’s first tile made from upcycled carbon, fusing low-tech crafts with modern technology. The process begins at a pyrolysis plant, where carbon waste is collected, then mixed with binders and natural materials. Skilled ceramic workers then cut and fill the composite into unique designs. The whole process consumes less energy than making conventional tiles, while also diverting carbon from incineration.
The building & construction industry is the largest consumer of raw materials and responsible for 39% of total energy-related carbon emissions according to the World Green Building Council. If 1% of this industry consumed the waste rCB as a resource, the impact will be phenomenal and would prevent it from being used as a cheap fuel material.
Every square metre of Carbon Tile used is equivalent to preventing the effect of 25kg of CO2e. And by returning this material to the building and construction industry — the world’s largest consumer of raw materials — Carbon Tile also fosters a much-needed shift towards the circular economy.
WINNER OF THE NO WASTE CHALLENGE
Carbon Tile is one of the winners of What Design Can Do’s No Waste Challenge, which was launched earlier this year together with IKEA Foundation, to tackle one of the most pressing issues of our time: waste.