New Building Blocks – Nature-Based Designs For Offshore Wind

ECOncrete’s nature-based solutions offer a self-mitigating alternative to traditional concrete block mattresses, scour protection, and virtually any concrete marine infrastructure. What are the benefits and how can these solutions be applied in the growing offshore wind sector in the United States?

The Biden administration’s recent offshore lease announcements demonstrate their priorities to promote offshore wind energy across the United States. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) are among the leading legislations supporting offshore wind development. In light of legislative attention and the challenges inherent in offshore wind design, the industry must consider how to maximize structural integrity and lifespan. This critical topic was the theme covered by industry and government experts in our webinar ‘Environmental Considerations for Offshore Wind Development’ in Q4 2022.

When assessing standards for Avoidance, Minimization, and Mitigation Measures (AMMMs), integrating nature-based solutions into ecological offshore wind development produces the best results by minimizing habitat degradation and lessening a project’s carbon footprint.

ECOncrete’s marine mattresses and novel scour protection patented system, the Droplock, are produced with our patented bio-enhancing technology. The units, that can be produced on or near – site,  exceed structural standards and benefit the marine ecosystem, as shown in scientific research, peer reviewed papers, and applications in projects around the world.

ECOncrete’s nature-based solutions for scour and cable protection reduce environmental impacts and provide ecosystem services that are not achievable from standard offshore mitigation measures. ECOncrete’s technology was recently referenced in a technical report highlighting effective nature-based design solutions for offshore wind turbine infrastructure by The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

Integrating ECOncrete technology into offshore wind infrastructure and cable protection will:

  • comply with environmental regulations,
  • self-mitigate material requirements,
  • enhance hydrodynamic stability,
  • lower the project’s carbon footprint,
  • and potentially eliminate decommissioning.

ECOncrete Wet-Cast Articulated Concrete Block Marine Mattress

Novel ECOncrete Foundation & Scour Protection

ECOncrete’s Droplock units act as a filter and armor layer to stabilize turbine foundations (and comparable marine infrastructure) while also mimicking natural marine habitats.

The Droplock minimizes native habitat degradation and supports ecological uplift in offshore wind projects. The Droplock units replace traditionally used quarry rock, which is a poor substrate for marine life. The patented, science-based design of the Droplock, however, promotes marine biodiversity and can reduce the total mass required for scour protection by 30%, producing significant savings on deployment cost and energy.

ECOncrete Cable Protection

ECOncrete articulated concrete block mattresses (ACBMs) should be used for cable protection measures, thereby increasing opportunities for native benthic enrichment and promoting the development of a living layer that reinforces the structural foundation. Research published in a peer reviewed journal about ECOncrete marine mattresses quantifies the significant structural and ecological benefits when compared to control structures.

Decommissioning

The impacts of decommissioning is another factor to be analyzed in offshore development. There are two main construction alternatives: the removal of scour protection and rock filling, or leaving scour protection in place as undisturbed as possible.

ECOncrete’s bio-enhancing mattresses and scour protection units both create thriving ecosystems, the existence of which strengthen the argument to leave scour protections in place, thus avoiding further disruption of the benthic ecosystem and saving decommissioning costs.

ECOncrete provides a win win solution that benefits project owners, structures, and the local environment. ECOncrete’s innovative technology has much to offer this burgeoning industry.

Marine Life Settlement on ECOncrete Unit

Award Winning Technology

ECOncrete’s patented bio-enhancing technology combines chemically balancing concrete admixture, complex surface textures, and science-based macro design. The technology is used around the globe, backed by a decade of research and experience, and can be integrated into any marine concrete infrastructure. It complies with industry standards and provides proven ecological benefits. Learn about our pilot project developing and monitoring bio-enhancing scour protection here.

ECOncrete is furthermore featured in the Dutch government Nature-Inclusive Design Catalog for offshore wind infrastructure, as well as the Wind Energy Monitoring & Mitigation Technologies Tool developed by the International Energy Agency Wind Task 34 (WREN), the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

ECOncrete Honored With Planetary Health Award from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation

On Friday November 25th, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation held its 15th annual Awards Ceremony for Planetary Health in the Salle Garnier at the Monte-Carlo Opera House. Since 2008, the Foundation’s Awards have honoured personalities and organisations who have shown remarkable commitment to the preservation of the Planet.

In his opening address, the Prince spoke of the awards, “At a time when our planet is once again experiencing open conflicts that tend to push environmental issues aside, there has never been a better time to give a voice to those who seek to protect it.”

Our CEO and Co-Founder, Dr. Ido Sella, accepted the award on behalf of ECOncrete.

 

Learn about the other awardees here.

 

Photo credits: Gaetan Luci Palais Princier, JC Vinaj FPA2

Marine Biodiversity & ECOncrete: Balancing Infrastructure and Ecology

Global marine biodiversity is under threat from many causes (i.e. habitat degradation, pollution, overfishing), all from the same source: human activity1. While humans live on land, a fundamental tenet of ecology is that nothing lives, nor dies, in isolation. Therefore, the extinction of one species, or one micro ecosystem, has cascading impacts that can ultimately affect the entire food web. In the ocean, for example, microscopic marine organisms like phytoplankton contribute towards ⅔  the air we breathe and keep the ocean stocked with food2. Destabilizing the baseline of an ecosystem’s food chain echoes through the rest of the chain, threatening the survival of apex predators.

 

Oceanic Ecosystem Services

Not only do oceans sustain all of marine life, they also provide invaluable ecosystem services to human society. In addition to climate regulation, oceans act as the most productive carbon sinks on the globe, with marine ecosystems absorbing as much as half of all anthropogenic carbon emissions over the past two centuries3.

Much of this sequestration occurs as a natural function of marine plants and animals (i.e. photosynthesizing, calcification, etc.). These processes cannot perform to the degree needed to mitigate climate change when low trophic species do not thrive. Accordingly, unstable oceans threaten both our economies and recreation, and our climate stabilization efforts. 

Biological growth on ECOncrete Coastalock unit

 

 

Coastal Hardening and Habitat Degradation

Coastal ecosystems serve as nursing habitats for many marine organisms to mature and develop and tend to have highly diverse community assemblages. In fact, most marine flora and fauna reside in coastal areas, therefore coastal development has a disproportionately high impact on the loss of marine habitats4.

While coastal development is unavoidable due to the needs of modern-day civilization and threats of sea level rise and increased storminess, a key issue with coastal and marine infrastructure is the primary material used. Concrete accounts for around 70% of marine  infrastructure but has an adverse effect on  marine life settlement and development. Concrete adds an artificial  substrate and does not replenish natural conditions of native habitats.

Structures, then, tend to be dominated by opportunistic invasive species that are able to tolerate challenging conditions and homogenize the community in an area. Oysters and tunicate, for example, are often seen dominating marine infrastructure but are far less prevalent in natural environments. Coastal and marine infrastructure built with traditional concrete throws the natural balance off and healthy ecosystems give way to less diverse, more vulnerable environments.

Therefore, as coasts continue to develop, we must prioritize maximizing complexity to support rich biodiversity and avoid coastal areas eventually becoming lifeless.

 

Bio-enhancing Concrete Solutions for Marine Infrastructure

When it comes to habitat and ecological balance, nature takes care of things perfectly. As ECOncrete’s co-founder and CEO, Ido Sella explains, “the species are out there, the larvae are out there. The problem is that for a very long time they did not have a place to settle and thrive in an urbanized area.” ECOncrete makes that possible by mimicking the natural conditions in a particular area. 

On the micro level, ECOncrete admixtures chemically balance the concrete, reducing permeability and creating greater chloride ion resistance. ECOncrete creates substrate less adverse to marine organisms and facilitates attachment with different habitats allowing for a wide variety of species to settle (i.e., holes, caves, overhangs, tunnels). ECOncrete accomplishes this through complex textures and designs. These innovations allow for marine life not only to settle but to persist and thrive, which over time strengthens the structure itself.

The resulting infrastructure meets ecological needs while maintaining structural integrity. Our technology can be integrated into any project to combat the adverse effects of coastal hardening, as shown in multiple peer-reviewed papers quantifying the ecological performance of structures using ECOncrete. With solutions like ours, the expansion and fortification of populated coastlines do not have to come at the expense of marine biodiversity. 

 

ICCE 2022: Coastalock Hydraulic Stability

Jorge Gutiérrez Martínez, our Global Head of Engineering, is presenting at the 37th International Conference on Coastal Engineering (ICCE). The event happens biennially, and will take place in Sydney, Australia this December. The ICCE brings together coastal engineers, academics, researchers, around a central theme; the conference’s focus this year is the Present State of the Art and Science of Coastal Engineering. 

Jorge will be presenting on ECOncrete’s innovative single layer coastal protection unit, the Coastalock. The Coastalock is part of a new trend within the industry to advance designs that provide both structural and ecological value. Historically, there have been no, or relatively small, ecological considerations when designing and building coastal infrastructure. He will share results from the 2D physical model tests conducted at the Technische Universiteit Delft (TU Delft). 

Learn more about the nature based design in his talk on December 9th at 10:20: “Physical Evaluation of the Hydrodynamic Stability of an Eco-engineered Armouring Unit.”

Additional Resources:

Webinar: Environmental Considerations for Offshore Wind Development

In this webinar, a panel of industry experts shed light on the renewable energy development process and accompanying environmental considerations. Watch the webinar to gain insights on environmental planning documents, developing monitoring measures and implementing best practices.

 

Andy Lipsky

Lipsky provided an overview of federal fisheries sciences and determining consistent practices for surveying and quantifying offshore wind science and strategy. He discussed how lead agencies are planning to provide guidance on how to mitigate impacts of offshore wind on fisheries scientific surveys

See Andy’s recorded presentation on YouTube ->

 

Justin Krebs

Krebs highlighted the processes behind offshore wind development within the different project phases specifically related to the construction operation plans. He shared how environmental considerations come into play, and what mitigation and minimization criteria can be taken to protect trust resources.

See Justin’s recorded presentation on YouTube ->

 

Carl LoBue

LoBue focused on the benefits in quantifying environmental monitoring. He discussed how we can can enhance different solutions and alternatives for offshore wind infrastructure and enhancement of marine resources during early planning and design to benefit nature as part of a project decision criteria.

See Carl’s recorded presentation on YouTube ->

 

More Webinars hosted by ECOncrete:

Droplock Ecological Concrete Scour Protection Deployed

Successful deployment of the novel Droplock Ecological Scour Protection is completed 12 miles off the shore of Long Island, NY in coordination with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Approximately 4,000 concrete units were manufactured earlier in August in New York. 

  • First and only structural solution to benefit both foundation resiliency and local marine ecosystem 
  • Over 1000 metric tons of bio-enhancing Droplock and rock-material for scour protection – off Long Island, NY at a depth of more than 100ft
  • Two-year ecological monitoring to set new standards in responsible marine construction

The two-year joint R&D project of Holcim US and ECOncrete to provide offshore wind projects with ecological scour protection began in May 2021 and is funded by the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Energy Foundation with the participation of the US Department of Energy. The project partners are ECOncrete Tech Ltd., global provider for bio-enhancing concrete technology, and HolcimUS, the country’s leading cement producer. Together, they are redefining offshore scour protection through the development of a novel concrete unit that requires up to 30% less material, minimizes native habitat degradation, and supports ecological uplift in offshore wind projects.

“The unit’s ecological properties mimic natural marine habitats’ features while providing the armoring functionality required for scour protection”, said Dr. Ido Sella, CEO and Co-Founder at ECOncrete. “Offshore wind projects that integrate nature inclusive technologies are able to gain ecosystem services not achievable before. The ecological uplift and long term functionality of ecologically sensitive solutions can mitigate some of the associated impacts of offshore infrastructure. The ecological performance will be verified through comprehensive scientific monitoring comparing the bio-enhanced system to the standard rock based scour protection to set new industry standards for responsible construction.”

Carl LoBue, Ocean Program Director for The Nature Conservancy in NY said, “This deployment of materials is exciting and timely.  The Nature Conservancy believes there is great potential in intentionally designing and constructing materials used in offshore wind energy development in ways that are intended to create habitat for fish and other marine life.” ECOncrete bio-enhancing technology is proven to benefit biodiversity and water quality due to the development of healthy marine ecosystems. The units’ properties and design facilitate the settlement of calcifying organisms, creating an active carbon sink that absorbs CO2 throughout a structure’s lifespan.

“Renewable energy from wind is a critical part of building a more sustainable world and our Net Zero commitments. We also recognize wind generation needs to be built in a way that minimizes the ecological and environmental impacts,” said Michael LeMonds, VP, Environment, Land & Public Affairs at Holcim US. “Meeting our renewable energy goals together with ECOncrete Tech shows how an innovative approach using well-established building materials can protect natural habitats and help them flourish.”

This project provides the first and only structural solution that benefits both foundation resiliency and the local marine ecosystem. In a recent technical report, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) recommended ECOncrete’s nature-based design for cable protection and scour protection. ECOncrete technology is also featured in the Wind Energy Monitoring & Mitigation Technologies Tool developed by the International Energy Agency Wind Task 34 (WREN), the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, as well as in the Dutch government nature inclusive design catalog for offshore wind infrastructure. The ECOncrete and Holcim partnership aims to ensure that offshore wind reaches its maximum potential to generate clean energy without compromising the health of the environment.

Living Ports Project – Partnership with Blue Flag

ECOncrete is the leader of the EU-funded consortium project at the Port of Vigo (Spain). Living Ports will showcase a new direction for working waterfronts across the world through groundbreaking concrete infrastructure technology providing ecological benefits, accompanying academic research, and public outreach and education efforts.

The project is partnering with Blue Flag, an organization that connects the public with their environment, to achieve the project’s goals. Blue Flag is crafting an educational experience in the Living Port’s underwater observatory, the Nautilus, through immersive environmental content adjacent to ECOncrete’s seawall installations at the port. Visitors from near and far will learn about biodiversity, noise pollution, and local bathymetry while viewing the port’s traffic and witnessing the ecological uplift from the bio-enhancing seawalls.

Read more about the partnership on Blue Flag’s blog.

Additional resources:

ECOncrete Wins Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina: Biodiversity Award

The much anticipated second annual Monaco Smart & Sustainability Marina conference took place at the Yacht Club de Monaco last week on September 25-26 with ECOncrete invited as one of 50 selected solutions to present to a network of entrepreneurs, investors, and public authorities. 

The multi-disciplinary event brought together a vibrant community of 250+ invited stakeholders from over 20 nations representing startups, marinas, and architects. An ecosystem designed to build a sustainable yachting sector on all levels. The stated goal is to “develop an initiative that achieves tangible results and to promote the innovation and know-how of international industry players.”

On the last day of the event, the expert jury awarded ECOncrete with the 2022 International Smart & Sustainable Startup Award in the Biodiversity category, in recognition of our contributions to the the building and designing of innovative, virtuous marinas. NBAX won the Architect category, and FLISVOS won the Marina category.

We are honored to receive this award and glad to be connected and recognized by likeminded innovators and project owners sharing our mission: to enable responsible and sustainable construction for marine infrastructure.

 

ECOncrete Featured in NY Climate Week WEDG Webinar

As part of Climate Week NYC, the Waterfront Alliance hosted a webinar highlighting projects that have shaped New York Harbor with resilient, accessible designs recognized by the Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines (WEDG). The webinar was hosted by the Chief Waterfront Design Officer of the Waterfront Alliance, Joseph Sutkowi, and Domenica Stasiak, a Partner at Indigo River. 

Waterfront Alliance developed WEDG, a science-based rating system and set of rigorous guidelines for projects, to address the waterfront development challenges of coastal resilience, public access, and ecology and habit. WEDG is a tool that recognizes ecosystem and community services not normally valued in waterfront development.

Along with an overview of each WEDG standard, Domenica described projects across New York exemplifying these principles, specifying ECOncrete as a beneficial structural and ecological technology to use in coastal protection measures. 

Domenica mentioned ECOncrete as she spoke about the Brooklyn Bridge Park renovation, a project that exemplifies innovative approaches to edge resilience and natural resources. The waterfront was once a series of ports, with warehouse structures that remained until 2008. It transformed into a large park containing 2 beaches, softer coasts, and piles repaired with ECOncrete. She remarked that the use of ECOncrete technology was “really great because ordinary concrete does not allow for growth and we’re losing the space for habitat. The more habitat we have, the better for the environment.”

Other projects to highlight (among many others of interest) include the Bronx Point project and Hunter’s Point South project. In the Bronx, multiple stakeholders came together to transform unused land into a site of ecological coastal resilience, public space, affordable housing, and community education. Similarly, Hunter’s Point South used to be storage then a parking lot, and now provides affordable housing, public amenities, and walking areas that function as flood protection.

An underlying theme of all of the recognized projects is the incorporation of eco-engineering of necessary infrastructure itself. When answering a question about structurally sound nature based solutions in WEDG projects, Joseph said that ECOncrete is “growing a lot in popularity, in part because of its ecological features and part because of its versatility. It’s a structural concrete, so it has the same strength and other properties that the standard concrete would have, just with all these added benefits.” 

Watch the full webinar here:

 

Webinars hosted by ECOncrete:

First Ecologically Enhanced Tetrapods – An ETERMAR & ECOncrete Collaboration

  • ETERMAR/ECOncrete’s first pilot project in Portugal pioneers ‘blue’ Tetrapods at Port of Leixões
  • 40 tons ecologically enhanced coastal protection units now installed in the water
  • Unique solution fortifies the coast and benefits local marine biodiversity

Porto de Leixões – Matosinhos, Portugal – Successful deployment of the first ‘blue’ Tetrapods at the Port of Leixões in Portugal. ECOncrete is the ecological concrete solution provider while Etermar is the engineering and construction specialists in this pilot project.

Etermar S.A. used ECOncrete technology to take these classic concrete coastal protection units to the next level. As part of a pilot project, the 40-ton units are now installed in the water and will provide habitat enabling marine biodiversity development in the Port of Leixões.

Etermar integrated ECOncrete’s admixture, micro texture complexity, and macro surface design seamlessly into their on-site concrete production process. In line with Etermar’s values of adaptation and innovation, ECOncrete’s technology elevates their coastal infrastructure projects’ potential in mainland Portugal and its Autonomous Regions.

“This successful pilot project demonstrates the accessibility of implementing ECOncrete’s technology into any maritime concrete application”, says Ido Sella, ECOncrete co-founder and CEO. “Our technology enables any business and any marine construction project to easily become ‘blue’ and support a sustainable development approach to coastal resources”.

ECOncrete and ETERMAR’s pilot project is transforming coastal protection by implementing the only ecologically enhancing and structurally compliant concrete solutions available in a mission-critical net zero market.

About ECOncrete

Founded in 2012, ECOncrete is a fast growing international company supplying concrete technology to over 40 marine infrastructure projects all over the world. ECOncrete admixture chemically balances the composition of concrete to foster marine life. At the same time, micro texture and macro surface complexity creates spaces, inspired by natural habitats, for biodiverse organisms to settle and grow. ECOncrete, a science-based company with a multidisciplinary team of marine biologists, engineers, architects and designers, sets the standard for innovation in concrete performance and biological enhancement, and continues to develop strategic partnerships with world leaders in the construction industry.

Contact

Muriel Pineau
ECOncrete Chief Communications Officer
muriel@econcretetech.com

Blue Is The New Green – Dr. Ido Sella Learning Lab At ASLA 2022

 

Dr. Ido Sella presented his unique insights at a session in this year’s American Society of Landscape Architects’ (ASLA) conference in San Francisco, California. He shared the latest on cutting edge designs at a coastal defense project from the Mediterranean Sea, the development of “Living Breakwaters” as part of the Rebuild by Design initiative, and an ecological enhancement project at the Brooklyn Bridge Park waterfront. The conference’s focus this year was climate change and design solutions, with Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s keynote speech: “The Blue-Green Connection: Water and Land in Climate Action”. ECOncrete’s foundation has always been innovative design and ecological consideration, so we were thrilled to be a part of this conversation at the conference.

The learning lab explained key environmental issues related to the design of coastal and marine infrastructure, including shoreline and underwater landscapes, and suggested a new definition for “urban marine environments,” as a first step towards applying the term “urban ecology” to the marine realm. Ido also presented current approaches in sustainable management of urban marine structures from both temperate and tropical environments.

Learning Outcomes:
1) Key environmental issues related to the design of coastal shore and marine infrastructure, and how they impact natural resource conservation, the design of environmental systems and the management of marine ecosystems.
2) Define “urban marine environments,” and apply the term “urban ecology” to the marine realm.
3) Learn from case studies that present new approaches for sustainable management and design of urban marine structural systems.
4) Discuss innovative technologies for increasing the biological productivity and ecological value of coastal and marine infrastructure including methods, technology and applications.

Additional Resources:

  • Our article about marine urban ecology

 

Urban Ecology, Marine Infrastructure, and Reconciliation

The origins of urban marine ecology and the application of reconciliation ecology principles in marine infrastructure. 

 

Limitations of Urban Ecology

The proliferation of urban built environments has radically transformed the relationship between humans and nature. In academia, a field called urban ecology emerged in the 1970’s to understand the ecological impact of human activity in cities. Urban ecology is interdisciplinary in nature, integrating:

  • biology of urban species and habitats,
  • ecosystem services studies,
  • social and environmental urban studies, and
  • sustainable urban design (1).

Expanding the focus of the field into the urban marine realm, however, has happened only in the last twenty years. 

Despite the growth of urban spaces and the relevance of urban ecology, the discipline has largely neglected ecological transformations of coastal landscapes in favor of terrestrial aspects of cities and their environments (3). Currently, around 50% of the human population live along coastlines (4). In the same way buildings and roads impact terrestrial ecosystems, densely populated shorelines affect the marine environment. Structures like ports, piers, retaining walls, and pipelines produce significant ecological consequences, the impacts of which ultimately affect resources and services available to humans.

Urban Marine and Reconciliation Ecology

Coastal ecosystem degradation led to the extension of urban ecology to include ‘urban marine ecology’, also referred to as ‘coastal urban ecology’, in the last two decades (5). This field focuses on the impacts of coastal cities’ waterfront infrastructure in particular, and develops conceptual frameworks and tools that if used, can create sustainable, resilient urban marine ecosystems.

Traditional waterfront development, especially with ‘grey’ infrastructure, generally harms marine ecosystems. But it does not have to; the research suggests that marine infrastructure benefiting human society can also support coastal environments (6). A strategy called reconciliation ecology, which promotes native biodiversity in anthropogenic habitats, shows that evolutionary ecology can be integrated into the planning, building, and maintenance of urban infrastructure (7). In doing so, human construction can provide spaces that allow species to inhabit urban spaces.

Extending these principles to the water, ECOncrete’s technology and design is modeled after native habitats using biomimicry, providing structural stability and promoting marine life settlement. This nature-based method is in direct contrast with the lack of ecological consideration in traditional marine construction, and produces significant results, as the 10+ peer-reviewed articles published by ECOncrete’s founders and associates conclude. 

Urban ecology and reconciliation ecology inform the building of sustainable cities on land; urban marine ecology addresses the underwater blindspot and extends the reconciliation framework to create resilient urban coastlines, too. ECOncrete makes sustainable urban marine ecosystems a reality with science-based concrete technology that actively implements reconciliation ecology principles. Follow us on LinkedIn for updates, watch past webinars, and dive deeper with our co-founder and CEO, Dr. Ido Sella, in his learning lab at ASLA 2022 to learn more!