Prometheus bio-concrete excels in sound absorption performance
Sources: Prometheus Materials, Boulder, Colo.; CP staff
Prometheus Materials, developer of bio-cement and bio-concrete technology launching in molded, dry cast products, reports strong performance of 2-in. thick specimens subjected to ASTM C423-23, Standard Test Method for Sound Absorption and Sound Absorption Coefficients by the Reverberation Room Method. Testing at the Johns Manville Technical Center in Littleton, Colo., determined that the company’s bio-concrete—formulated with a micro-algae-based binder in lieu of portland cement—exhibits a 0.60 Noise Reduction Coefficient.
The company is ramping up commercial scale production of bio-concrete block and other molded, dry cast building or hardscape elements at a Colorado plant set for 2024 start up.
“Test results like these prove that Prometheus Materials has developed far more than zero-carbon concrete, by itself is an enormous accomplishment,” says Director Vishaan Chakrabarti, FAIA, founder of Practice for Architecture & Urbanism, New York City. “With this level of sound absorption, as well as other characteristics currently being tested, it’s clear that this material will offer a suite of products based on entirely redefined ideas of what concrete can be and do.”
The Noise Reduction Coefficient rating observed at the Manville Center indicates 60 percent sound absorption, 12 times that of traditional concrete. It enables Prometheus Materials to promote its block and slab products’ potential in applications where noise containment is a factor, from residential, commercial and institutional buildings to amphitheaters, music studios and highway sound barriers. The C423-23 results mirror the success reported earlier this year when testing confirmed how Prometheus specimens meet ASTM C129-22, Standard Specification for Nonloadbearing Concrete Masonry Units and C90, Standard Specification for Loadbearing Concrete Masonry Units performance requirements.
“Our latest ASTM testing results embody our commitment to innovative design,” affirms Prometheus Materials Co-Founder and CEO Loren Burnett. “We’ve developed a novel material that provides a zero-carbon alternative to traditional concrete while delivering additional performance benefits and applications. We’re proud to pave the way toward a more technologically advanced and environmentally responsible future for the construction industry.”
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