Vanshita Jain, a third-year student at Pearl Academy, talks about her successful design, “Procrete,” which encourages sustainability in infrastructure. She won the second runner-up spot at the prestigious Association of Designers of India (ADI) 2022 competition for her design that was made from recycled materials and local waste. The results were announced at the Pune Design Festival.
Procrete is a sustainable construction material made of cow dung-based ash, leveraging a unique mix of natural gum, non-toxic additives, as well as heat to create a material of its kind that could offer a low-carbon alternative to concrete. Most construction materials used today are not environmentally friendly, production of cement is responsible for 5–8% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Procrete is material innovation that is transformed through a design approach. It is made out of local waste, the has potential to replicate some materials from everyday necessities which are designed with toxic, unsustainable materials. This material will reduce carbon emissions and other harmful gases that have a positive impact on inhabitants and the environment as a whole.
“I am also delighted to share that my project will get displayed at the upcoming Portfolio 2022 that will take place in Delhi later this month. At portfolio students showcase their creative brilliance by exhibiting their projects.”, Vanshita said.
Vanshita Jain talked to India CSR on her innovation. Excerpts of an interview:
How did you get started in product design?
Since childhood, I have always been a curious and creative person, always open to exploring different colour mediums and materials, so I knew I wanted to pursue my career in design. In the very beginning, I started with interior design but eventually developed an interest in product design, which addresses real-world problems with contextual insights and deeply empathises with people.
How did you find inspiration for such a unique project?
I have observed construction materials being unnecessarily used in the construction of interiors as well as exteriors. These materials are not environmentally friendly, the production of which is responsible for 5–8% of GLOBAL CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSION.
What elements define your style?
My design is defined by the element of sustainable application of energy. Procreate is a sustainable construction material made of COW DUNG BASED ASH, leveraging a unique mix of natural gum, non-toxic additives, as well as heat to create a material of its kind that could offer a low-carbon alternative to other construction materials. It is a biomaterial that is strong, durable, rigid, smooth in texture and, most importantly, does not produce toxic gases during production.
What was the role of the mentorship while you were working to create this?
Firstly, I would like to thank both my mentors, Mr. Vikas Sethi and Mr. Anupam Tomer, for guiding me and pushing me to this. I was able to develop the material with their continuous feedback. Both were supportive and, keeping the time barrier aside, they used to give feedback until late at night as well.
What was the most essential thing while working on this project? Were there any challenges you faced?
Working on Procrete was one of the best projects I did. Working on it was fun and challenging at the same time because it was a time of lockdown where I was bound to stay at my place and work irrespective of the limited availability of raw materials and other resources. As part of the module, I used kitchen waste to experiment with various biomaterial recipes. I was searching for raw materials and saw my grandmother making dal-bati (a Rajasthani food) using cow dung as fuel. That was the time I decided to use cow dung-based ash as raw material and started developing recipes with different natural adhesives. I also explored different methods to make the material more efficient.
Did this project go as planned? Did you achieve your desired result?
In the beginning, I started with basic recipes of biomaterial with natural adhesive. Slowly and gradually, I started developing my own recipes of biomaterial from kitchen waste and chose one of the best recipes out of those, and that’s where procrete comes from. The project didn’t go as per plan but came out to be more than what I had planned, and that’s what I believe is to believe in yourself and the hard work you put in to achieve the best results and solution.
What are the next things in pipeline?
This project is very close to my heart as I am a person who loves to cook and bake, and when your passion and interest come together, you find unique ways to do things. Procrete is material innovation that is transformed through a design approach. It is made from local waste and has the potential to replicate some everyday necessities that are designed with toxic materials and unsustainable materials. This material will reduce carbon emissions and other harmful gases that can have a positive impact on inhabitants and the environment as a whole. As it is sustainable, it can be used as an alternative for the construction of interiors such as wall panels, artifacts, and many others, as the texture of the material, is itself appealing. Further, I am constantly exploring the material to be more efficient to shape a sustainable and resilient future.
(CopyRight@IndiaCSR)
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