Kavishan Ranatunga: Breaking the Wall of Carbon-Intensive Concrete

Kavishan Ranatunga, University of Auckland

We seek to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete, which contributes about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, by replacing cement with volcanic materials. Unlike other countries, New Zealand lacks industrial by-products for cement replacement. Our research focuses on using volcanic materials to make low-carbon and durable concrete for more sustainable infrastructure.

Kavishan is a PhD student in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Auckland. His research focuses on developing low-carbon and durable concrete using alternative materials. He previously worked as a civil engineer on a World Bank-funded project. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Sri Lanka and a Master’s degree from Kingston University, London.