County Durham construction pioneer LCM poised for…

County Durham construction pioneer LCM poised for mainstream production launch

A North East construction pioneer is poised to launch mainstream production of its innovative building material following expansion into a new base.

Environmental innovator Low Carbon Materials (LCM) – formerly known as Sphera – is among companies shaping the ‘green construction’ sector with its science-based building material which is helping the industry in achieving net zero targets. LCM was founded by three scientists in 2019 – Dr Natasha Boulding, Dr Phil Buckley and Scott Bush – who met at Durham University while studying for PhD in material science.

Its flagship product, Osto, has been technically engineered to use waste and by-products in its manufacture which would otherwise be destined for incineration or landfill, further reducing carbon emissions. Since launching, the company, and Osto, has garnered global recognition and a host of awards, including an Earthshot Prize nomination, which places it among the 1,000 most impactful and inspiring solutions for environmental issues globally.

Now the firm is moving closer to production of Osto following expansion into Jade Business Park in Seaham, County Durham, a move which quadrupled the size of its headquarters. The site will include a research and development facility and production centre, to support the scaling and development of new products.

The rebranded business has also tripled its workforce in less than a year with plans to expand it further next year. The company said the rebrand marks the next stage in the company’s development, with its products currently being trialled in the market, while next-stage growth plans are under way to develop and scale carbon-negative materials for the wider built environment.

The expansion has been aided by significant investment, including £1.9m in funding led by the Green Angel Syndicate (GAS), the UK’s largest specialist network of investors fighting climate change.

Dr Natasha Boulding, CEO and co-founder of Low Carbon Materials, said: “We’re thrilled to be taking the company forward into its next phase of development, multiplying the amount of waste diverted from incineration, and helping construction companies achieve net zero - all whilst helping our planet.

“There is nothing more important or rewarding than that for us. The targets set out by the UK government to achieve net zero can only be achieved with the right solutions and a new way of thinking and working. We’re scientists working with a wide range of industry specialists to realise our product plans, which once on the market, could radically redefine how we build, and significantly reduce environmental damage, particularly as concrete accounts for 8% of carbon emissions.

“Globally, and working collaboratively, we have the potential to save hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO2e with this approach. LCM has enjoyed a phenomenal year, but this is only the beginning and we’ve much more on the horizon to announce.”