Universitas Gadjah Mada
Faculty of Economics and Business

Students from the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FEB UGM), successfully processed shell waste into environmentally friendly cement.

Vidhyazputri Belva Aqila, an Accounting undergraduate student batch of 2023, collaborated with her three peers—Abla Salsabila (Civil Engineering 2022), Aurellia Zaitun Candraningrum (Civil Engineering 2022), and Maureen Arsa Sanda Cantika (Geographical Information Systems 2022)—to develop an instant cement product using shell waste as the raw material.

The product, named INNOCEM (Innovatively Efficient Instant Cement), was developed through the 2024 Student Creativity Program in Entrepreneurship (PKM-K) under the guidance of Angga Fajar Setiawan, S.T., M.Eng., Ph.D., and received funding from the Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture. Additionally, the innovation qualified them to advance to the 2024 National Student Scientific Week (PIMNAS).

Vidhyazputri Belva Aqila explained that the development of INNOCEM was driven by their concern about buildings being responsible for approximately 37% of carbon emissions. This is because the cement used in construction is made from limestone, which undergoes an environmentally harmful processing stage.

“Currently, the *net zero emission* movement is gaining momentum, and we hope that through this product innovation, we can support this movement,” she stated on Wednesday (9/10/2024) at FEB UGM.

The development of INNOCEM is also expected to support the realization of sustainable green construction in Indonesia. Furthermore, it aims to help address environmental issues by processing shell waste, which has yet to be utilized optimally.

Abla Salsabila added that the selection of shell waste as the raw material for cement production is due to its composition, similar to limestone, particularly in potassium oxide content. According to several studies, shell waste contains a high level of potassium oxide.

“Shell waste is currently abundant but underutilized and mostly accumulates as trash. Meanwhile, the potassium oxide content in shells is quite high, making it a potential substitute for limestone in cement production,” she explained.

Currently, INNOCEM products are marketed online through e-commerce platforms and INNOCEM’s official website. This product serves as a breakthrough in supporting the realization of environmentally friendly green construction and offers a solution to reducing shell waste.

Reportage: Orie Priscylla Mapeda Lumalan
Editor: Kurnia Ekatiningrum 

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