In 2022, ECOncrete’s eco-engineered scour protection was deployed offshore Long Island alongside conventional rock armor installed as a control. Four years later, new ROV footage shows a clear difference in ecological colonization between the two systems.
While the rock shows limited colonization, ECOncrete’s system supports American lobster, Atlantic cod, red hake, rock crab, Jonah crab, and black sea bass.
The comparison is part of a two-year independent monitoring study by Stony Brook University, funded by NYSERDA. Researchers are assessing ecological outcomes using methods including eDNA and food-web analysis.
Designed for both hydraulic stability and habitat creation, ECOncrete’s interlocking units form crevices and sheltered spaces at their junctions, while their surface characteristics and material composition are designed to support marine life. The system’s engineering performance has also been benchmarked against rock through physical modelling.
The findings show how offshore infrastructure design can influence ecological outcomes under the same environmental conditions.
Watch the highlights below.