The University of East London (UEL) has facilitated the construction of a prototype classroom in Noida, India, using a bio-based building material called Sugarcrete. Developed in 2023, Sugarcrete is a low-carbon alternative to traditional fired clay bricks and utilizes bagasse — a fibrous sugarcane byproduct — as its primary ingredient. This project, undertaken at Panchsheel Balak Inter College, represents the first real-world structure built with this material and offers insights into the potential for locally adaptable, environmentally responsible construction in India.
Sugarcrete: Composition and Characteristics
Sugarcrete is created by mixing processed sugarcane waste (bagasse) with mineral binders, forming dense yet lightweight interlocking blocks. These blocks offer:
- A carbon footprint reportedly six times lower than fired clay bricks
- Acoustical insulation suitable for educational environments
- Thermal comfort tailored to hot climates
- Modularity and ease of assembly using interlocking systems
The product was co-developed by UEL faculty Alan Chandler (associate at the university’s Sustainability Research Institute) and Armor Gutierrez Rivas (senior lecturer), alongside UEL architecture postgraduate students. Indian firm Chemical Systems Technologies produced the Sugarcrete blocks for the Noida classroom.
Design and Construction Overview
The classroom’s foundation comprises a conventional concrete slab. The Sugarcrete blocks were laid atop this base using lime mortar, rather than cement-based mortars, to improve sustainability and future recyclability. The structure includes:
- Rendered exterior walls for weather resistance
- Clay plaster along the lower interior wall zones
- A steel frame with a sloped, angular roof
- Clerestory glazing to facilitate indirect daylight and high-level ventilation
This roof design, painted green, also serves as an extended veranda. The overhang provides students shelter during the monsoon season while also limiting direct rain exposure to the Sugarcrete walls.
Educational and Community-Centric Function
The classroom does not only serve academic purposes. UEL and its partners intended the building as a multipurpose learning and skill development hub for the local population. The design is rooted in both environmental and social objectives, demonstrating how innovative materials can support inclusive, community-based architecture.
“Sugarcrete is more than a material — it’s a system for low-carbon, inclusive development,” said Rivas.
“This school acts as a platform to test real-world performance and demonstrates how community-oriented design can deliver both environmental and social value.”
Challenges and Learning Outcomes
The pilot project also uncovered implementation challenges. Although Sugarcrete proved easy to handle in terms of blockwork assembly, the availability of compatible finishing materials — like lime-based renders — posed logistical and sourcing concerns. Ensuring local labour is trained in such materials and techniques will be critical for scaling up.
Chandler notes that addressing such issues is part of the wider learning process. By using the classroom as a live testing environment, researchers are refining not only the product but the full building system required to support sustainable delivery in semi-urban and rural Indian contexts.
Future Projects and Collaboration
Following the completion of the Noida project, UEL researchers have partnered with Paryatan Foundation to begin work on a second Sugarcrete school building in Hisar, Haryana. This upcoming project is expected to further test:
- Regional adaptability of Sugarcrete block production
- Cost-effective transportation and logistics of materials
- Long-term durability under local climate conditions
The long-term vision includes more widespread deployment of Sugarcrete systems in India and other sugarcane-producing regions. In each case, UEL plans to engage with local design-build teams to ensure the solution is community-owned and locally maintained.
Potential for Sustainable Building Sector in India
India remains one of the largest sugarcane producers globally, generating substantial amounts of bagasse annually. Traditionally used as fuel in sugar mills or discarded, this fibrous waste stream could be redirected toward sustainable construction if systems like Sugarcrete gain momentum.
In practical terms, this shift would:
- Reduce dependence on energy-intensive fired brick production
- Create local employment in block manufacturing
- Enable low-cost, durable buildings for schools, clinics, and rural housing
- Lower embodied carbon in public infrastructure
The modularity and moldability of Sugarcrete also allow architects greater freedom in shaping small and medium-sized structures, making it suitable for community centres, pavilions, and disaster-relief shelters.
Comparative Context
Sugarcrete joins a growing global portfolio of bio-based materials designed for circular construction practices. Comparable efforts include:
- Cob bricks developed by Tavs Jorgensen at the University of the West of England
- Modular flooring panels made from bioplastics and wood flour blends
- Bamboo composites used in school projects across Southeast Asia
In India, firms such as Biome Environmental Solutions have also experimented with context-responsive school designs using sustainable materials.
Conclusion
The Sugarcrete classroom in Noida stands as a material and systems-level demonstration of how agricultural waste can support India’s push toward sustainable infrastructure. While challenges remain in logistics, skill dissemination, and regulatory approval, early results suggest Sugarcrete can play a key role in reshaping construction practices for educational and community infrastructure in India’s rural and peri-urban belts.
As this innovation moves into its next phase in Hisar, stakeholders in both architecture and policymaking will watch closely to assess the viability of expanding Sugarcrete into the broader low-carbon construction ecosystem.
Image Credit: dezeen.com