The buildings we live and work in may soon do more than just provide shelter—they could generate their own energy. A revolutionary cement material developed by a team at Southeast University in China is turning conventional construction on its head. Unlike traditional cement, which is primarily used for structural support, this new material has the ability to convert heat into electricity and even store the energy it generates.
This innovation marks a significant step forward in sustainable construction. The cement, designed with bio-inspired technology, could one day power the infrastructure of smart cities. From homes that provide their own energy to roads and bridges that monitor their own health, this breakthrough opens the door to a future where buildings are not just passive structures but active participants in the energy ecosystem.
As the demand for energy-efficient buildings increases, this smart cement offers a glimpse of a more sustainable, self-sufficient future in construction.
The Science Behind Energy-Generating Cement
This new type of cement works by harnessing a natural phenomenon called the Seebeck effect, which turns heat into electricity. When one side of the cement is heated while the other stays cooler, the temperature difference causes a flow of electrical current. Essentially, the material captures and converts thermal energy into usable electrical energy. This is a significant breakthrough, as it allows cement to serve as a power source rather than just a building material.
While cement naturally has some thermoelectric properties, its ability to generate electricity has been limited. In traditional cement, ions—charged particles that carry electricity—move too slowly due to the material’s dense structure. This limits the efficiency of cement in generating power. As a result, previous attempts to use cement for energy generation have fallen short, making it impractical for real-world applications.
To overcome these challenges, the research team used a bio-inspired approach to improve the cement’s performance. They designed a multilayered composite that alternates between traditional cement and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel layers.
The hydrogel layers act as pathways, allowing the ions to move more freely and quickly through the material. This faster movement of ions increases the thermoelectric effect, generating more electricity from the same heat source.
Additionally, the interface between the cement and hydrogel layers is carefully engineered to bond with specific ions, further improving ion mobility. This design mimics the structure of plant stems, which naturally have efficient pathways for transporting fluids. By mimicking this biological design, the new cement can move ions more effectively and generate a significantly higher amount of electricity than previous cement-based materials.
With a Seebeck coefficient of −40.5 mV/K, this cement is ten times more effective than earlier versions. This improved efficiency could pave the way for practical applications, where buildings, roads, and other infrastructure can generate and store their own energy, making them more self-sufficient and reducing their dependence on external power sources.
Overcoming the Limitations of Traditional Cement
While cement is an essential material for construction, it has always had one major drawback: its inability to efficiently generate electricity. Cement naturally contains ions, such as calcium (Ca²⁺) and hydroxide (OH⁻), that could potentially produce power. However, the way cement is structured prevents these ions from moving freely, which limits the material’s ability to generate electricity.
In the past, attempts to improve cement’s ability to generate power involved adding other thermoelectric materials to the mix. While this did help, it still wasn’t enough to make cement a practical source of energy for buildings and infrastructure.
The breakthrough in this new cement comes from the way it handles ion movement. By combining cement with PVA hydrogel in alternating layers, the researchers created a material that allows ions to move more easily.
The hydrogel acts like a “shortcut” for the ions, helping them move faster, while the cement layers bond more strongly with certain ions like calcium (Ca²⁺). This design speeds up the movement of the ions that generate electricity, while slowing down others that aren’t as important for the process.
This clever design, inspired by the way plants move water and nutrients, solves the problem of slow ion movement in traditional cement. With this improvement, the new cement can generate significantly more electricity, making it a practical material for energy-efficient buildings and infrastructure.
In simple terms, this new material takes an old, well-known building material and turns it into something that can actively generate energy, opening up exciting possibilities for the future of sustainable construction.
The Future of Smart Infrastructure
This energy-generating cement opens up exciting possibilities for transforming buildings and infrastructure into self-powered systems. Imagine homes and office buildings that don’t just rely on the grid for electricity, but instead generate their own power from the heat absorbed by their walls. This smart cement could power things like lighting, heating, and even sensors built into the building, making them more energy-efficient and less reliant on external sources.
Beyond buildings, this cement could be used in infrastructure like roads, sidewalks, and bridges. For example, sidewalks could generate electricity to power streetlights, or bridges could use the cement to monitor their structural health by powering sensors that detect cracks or damage. This would allow critical infrastructure to maintain itself, without needing external power sources or regular maintenance.
The ability of this cement to both generate and store electricity opens the door for more sustainable urban planning. In a smart city, roads could power traffic lights or signs, while bridges and buildings could serve as energy sources for their own sensors and systems. By reducing the need for external energy, this could cut down on overall power consumption and make cities more efficient.
This technology aligns perfectly with the growing push for sustainable and smart cities. By incorporating this cement into construction, we could see urban areas become more self-sufficient and energy-conscious, contributing to a more sustainable future. This innovative cement could ultimately play a central role in reshaping how we think about and use energy in the built environment.
How This Cement Contributes to Sustainability
The construction industry is responsible for a large share of global carbon emissions, with cement production alone accounting for about 8% of CO2 emissions. Traditional cement manufacturing is energy-intensive, contributing to climate change. The new energy-generating cement offers a solution by transforming buildings into self-powered structures. By generating electricity from heat, this cement reduces the reliance on external power sources, leading to a decrease in overall energy consumption and lower emissions.
This innovation also has broader environmental benefits. Buildings made with this cement can store the energy they generate, reducing their dependence on the grid. Public infrastructure, such as sidewalks, roads, and bridges, could also be powered by this material, providing energy for streetlights, sensors, and other systems. This creates a more sustainable urban environment, where infrastructure contributes to energy generation and reduces pressure on overburdened power grids.
The cement’s bio-inspired design further enhances its sustainability. By improving ion movement within the material, the cement is more efficient without relying on additional harmful materials. This approach not only reduces energy use in production but also contributes to the development of greener, smarter cities, supporting a future where urban infrastructure plays an active role in sustainability.
The Green Building Revolution – And How You Can Be Part of It
While energy-generating cement might seem like a futuristic development, there are steps everyone can take today to support sustainable building practices and contribute to a greener future. One way to get involved is by staying informed about new technologies and materials like this cement. When building or renovating your home, consider choosing eco-friendly materials that reduce energy consumption or even generate power. This could include insulation, energy-efficient windows, or, in the near future, cement that powers the building itself.
If you’re involved in a community project or planning a construction project, advocate for sustainable building practices. Encourage the use of materials that not only reduce environmental impact but also help create energy-efficient spaces. Supporting local builders and contractors who prioritize green construction methods can help drive demand for more sustainable materials and technologies.
Another simple way to help is by reducing your own energy use. Whether at home or work, making small changes like turning off lights when not in use, using energy-efficient appliances, or investing in solar panels can reduce your carbon footprint. As demand for green technology grows, it will encourage innovation and help pave the way for energy-efficient materials like the energy-generating cement to become more mainstream.
By staying informed, making sustainable choices, and supporting eco-friendly projects, we can all play a part in creating a more energy-efficient and environmentally-conscious world. Every action, no matter how small, contributes to a bigger movement towards a greener future.
Building the Future
The development of energy-generating cement is not just an exciting scientific breakthrough—it’s a sign of the direction our world needs to head toward. As energy demands continue to rise and the climate crisis deepens, the way we build and maintain infrastructure must change. This innovative cement offers a practical solution, turning buildings and other structures into active contributors to their own energy needs, reducing reliance on traditional power sources and making our cities more sustainable.
But innovation doesn’t stop here. This is just the beginning of a new era of smart, self-sustaining infrastructure. As consumers, builders, and policymakers, we have the power to support this shift toward sustainable construction. By demanding energy-efficient materials and supporting eco-conscious practices, we can help drive widespread adoption of technologies like energy-generating cement.
The future of building is in our hands. As we continue to embrace innovation and sustainability, we move closer to a world where energy isn’t just used—it’s created, stored, and shared by the very structures we inhabit. Let’s be a part of this exciting change and help build a greener, more energy-efficient future for generations to come.
Source:
- Yulin Wang, Yangzezhi Zheng, Weihuan Li, Shuai Xiao, Shengjun Chen, Jiarui Xing, Chenchen Xiong, Yang Zhou, Wei Zhang, Takehiko Hihara, Nosipho Moloto, Changwen Miao, Bio-inspired thermoelectric cement with interfacial selective immobilization towards self-powered buildings, Science Bulletin, 2025, ISSN 2095-9273, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scib.2025.03.032 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095927325002816)
