Turning Buildings Into Batteries: MIT's Breakthrough In Conductive Concrete
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Turning Buildings Into Batteries: MIT's Breakthrough In Conductive Concrete

19:23 Feb 14, 2026
About this episode
What if concrete could store energy that turned buildings, roads, and infrastructure into massive power banks? In this episode, we're joined by Damian Stefaniuk, Research Scientist at MIT's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSHub), and the Electron-Conductive Cement-based Materials Hub (ECยณ Hub). Damian's research explores how concrete can be engineered to conduct electricity and store energy at up to 10x the capacity of traditional materials โ€” while simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint of cement productionโ€ฆ Damian is a structural and materials engineering scientist who specializes in the development of sustainable construction materials and structures. His research focuses on science-enabled engineering of cement-based materials, with applications ranging from corrosion-resistant prestressed bridges and carbon-storing pre-cure carbonation to electron-conductive carbon concrete for renewable energy storage. Dive in now to discover: How concrete can be made into a conductive material. Carbon-based conductive cement and nanomaterials. Infrastructure's role in clean energy and emissions reduction. You can follow along with Damian and his work here! ๐ŸŽง Listen now on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9C *]:pointer-events-auto [content-visibility:auto] supports-[content-visibility:auto]:[contain-intrinsic-size:auto_100lvh] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "97da9042-1fb2-4063-b349-7345c1a3cb34" data-testid= "conversation-turn-152" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> ๐Ÿ›๏ธ Recommended Books from this Episode ๐Ÿ“– Energy Storage: Fundamentals, Materials and Applications (2nd Edition) โ€“ A comprehensive guide to the science, materials, and technologies behind modern energy storage systems. ๐Ÿ‘‰ Get it here ๐Ÿ“˜ Supercapacitors: Materials, Systems, and Applications (Materials for Sustainable Energy and Development) โ€“ An in-depth look at supercapacitor technology, covering materials, design, and real-world energy applications. ๐Ÿ‘‰
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