Betolar, the Finnish materials technology company, announces the launch of a new partnership with sustainable housing firm TARA, founded by Ashok Khosla, former UN sustainability advocate and pioneer. The Indian market is viewed as a significant growth area for green construction due to rapid urbanisation and growing housing needs in the rural areas. Commenting on the news, Betolar’s Executive leading the expansion in Asia, Juha Pinomaa said, “There is a tremendous appetite for sustainable construction materials in India which we are tapped into through our work with TARA and its mission to develop alternative and sustainable models for rural development, democratising construction from the bottom up. Establishing local operations in India is the culmination of a partnership launched from the inauguration of our Asian expansion plans. Asia is a hugely important region for Betolar’s innovation precisely because our materials technology licensing model is able to lean on its vast size and complexity.” Betolar enables a wide network of precast concrete manufacturers to produce construction materials that not only lower Carbon Dioxide emissions by as much as 80%, but also utilise side streams from industrial processes, delivering a double sustainability dividend. Betolar’s Geoprime solution replaces cement in concrete by using industrial side streams from the process, mining and energy industries, among others. Using local, industrial side streams is an affordable way to match the market price for traditional building elements such as bricks and pavers, speeding up the market breakthrough. India is making efforts to reduce reliance on more traditional, high carbon emitting red bricks, particularly in rural areas. The government has even introduced tax breaks to incentivize circular practices and use of waste content. Dr Ashok Khosla, TARA’s chairperson says, “The construction sector is one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gases. Pioneering new, easily accessible low-carbon building materials is fundamental for achieving India’s net zero target by 2070, let alone within the much tighter time-frame needed to avoid global climate catastrophe. Geoprime offers a remarkably innovative, widely affordable solution for transforming the industry’s climate impact at the scale and with the speed now required to solve India’s massive housing and infrastructure needs in a socially equitable and environmentally sustainable manner.” Betolar and TARA have been working together over two years, combining synergies to contribute to affordable housing in India – most notably for rural entrepreneurs. Leveraging TARA’s sustainability and local expertise, combined with Betolar’s innovative approach, helps provide sustainable cement-free alternatives to the market. Commenting on the move to the Indian market, Matti Lopponen,CEO OF Betolar said, “We intend to amplify Betolar’s offering to the mainstream market where developers, cities and governments are looking for sustainable solutions for rapid urbanisation and greener cities. We have plans to grow our local presence by adding business development experts and technical support to our India team in the near future.” “TARA and its community of smaller, family run businesses are showing the way, innovating beyond the scope of less agile corporations. We hope that by putting down roots here and using India as a kick starter to other countries in Asia, we will be able to influence and accelerate positive change by working with major customers to deliver greater global impact.” Image source