Kavishan Ranatunga: Volcanoes as Taonga: Concrete Solutions for Climate Change Guided by Māori Engineering Principles

<p dir="ltr">Aotearoa New Zealand’s volcanic heritage holds the key to developing sustainable and low-carbon construction materials. This study investigates the use of locally sourced pumice as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete while enhancing its durability. By replacing up to 30% of cement with pumice, the concrete exhibited lower carbon emissions—up to 18.6% reduction—along with improved strength and resistance to water absorption and electrical resistivity. The optimal performance was observed at 20% replacement, with compressive strength increases of 18.98% and 62.08% under ambient and elevated curing conditions, respectively. Guided by Māori engineering principles of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and whakapapa (connection to the land), this research bridges indigenous wisdom and modern engineering science. The findings highlight how Aotearoa’s volcanic resources can be reimagined as taonga—precious gifts—to create sustainable, low-carbon concrete solutions that honour both people and planet.</p>