A team of students from the Faculty of Economics and Business at Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Yogyakarta, developed an eco-friendly cement from shell waste. The product, INNOCEM—short for Innovatively Efficient Instant Cement—was created as part of the Student Creativity Program in Entrepreneurship (PKM-K). One of the team members, Vidhyazputri Belva Aqila, explained that the idea for INNOCEM started from their concern about the construction industry, which produces 37% of carbon emissions. This is largely due to the traditional use of limestone-based cement that involves environmentally harmful processes.
The development of INNOCEM aims to promote sustainable green construction in Indonesia. It also addresses environmental issues by processing shell waste that has not been optimally managed. The team chose shell waste as the raw material because it contains potassium oxide, a component similar to limestone. According to various studies, shell waste has a high potassium oxide content. Shell waste is currently abundant but not widely used, resulting in large amounts of garbage.
The high potassium oxide in shell waste makes it a promising alternative to limestone in cement production. INNOCEM is now available online through marketplaces and its official website. This product supports the development of eco-friendly construction and offers a solution for reducing shell waste.