Ferrocement: Future of Construction, Requires Deeper Research, Say Experts
Pune: At a time when construction industry is required to balance between climate change, sustainability challenges, and the demand for durable yet economical structures, ferrocement is being recognized as a promising solution. However, experts stressed at a global conference that despite its immense potential, the material still requires wider research, experimentation, and validation.
To foster dialogue and innovation, MKSSS’s Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture for Women (BNCA), Pune, in collaboration with the Ferrocement Society (India), Pune, and supported by Architects, Engineers and Surveyors Association (AESA-Pune), hosted the International Conference 2025 on the “Art, Science & Technology of Ferrocement Construction.” The two-day event brought together academicians, researchers, professionals, and industry leaders from India as well as from Bangladesh, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
This year’s theme, “Art, Science and Technology of Ferrocement Construction,” focused on showcasing contemporary research, pioneering applications, and practical innovations in ferrocement across civil and architectural engineering.
The conference was inaugurated by Prof. Ar. Abhay Purohit, President, Council of Architecture (COA), in the presence of dignitaries including Shri Jayant Inamdar, Member, Managing Committee, MKSSS; Dr. Anurag Kashyap, Principal, BNCA; Dr. Sharvey Dhongde, Vice Principal, BNCA; Dr. Kalyansundaram, Convenor; Prof. (Dr.) Sujata Mehta and Prof. Kanchan Atnurkar, Co-Conveners; Er. P.P. Lele, President, Ferrocement Society (India); Er. Owen Waldschlagel, Ferrocement Expert; Er. Vivek Botre, Vascon Engineers; Mr. Sandeep Bansal, Ultratech; and Prof. Mahesh Bangad, Chairman AESA. The organizing team included Prof. Swapnil Shinde, Prof. Shweta Albal and Prof. Preeti Namjoshi along with Er. Girish Sangle, Er. Pranav Darda, Er. Nandakumar Jadhav, and Er. Pushymitra Divekar of the Ferrocement Society (India).
The conference featured keynote lectures, technical sessions, and technical paper presentations covering both traditional uses and emerging innovations in ferrocement. A significant highlight was the unveiling of the cover page of the forthcoming COA-BNCA publication on ferrocement research during the inaugural session.
In his keynote address, Prof. Abhay Purohit emphasized that “ferrocement offers both economic and environmental advantages aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, but it remains underexplored. With focused experimentation and validation, it has the potential to become mainstream in sustainable construction.”
In his welcome address, Shri Jayant Inamdar underlined the importance of such conferences in connecting academia, industry, and innovation. Er. P.P. Lele, President, Ferrocement Society, spoke on the Society’s efforts to popularize ferrocement across sectors, while Dr. Kalyansundaram, Convenor, reiterated its indispensability in infrastructure such as water storage structures and check dams, where it reduces costs while improving longevity.
Dr. Anurag Kashyap, Principal of BNCA, presented an overview of the college’s achievements, research priorities, and collaborations. Dr. Sharvey Dhongde, Vice Principal, BNCA, conferred the Best Paper Awards, while certificates of participation were presented to architects, engineers, students, and experts.
Global and National Perspectives
International voices added further weight to the discussions. Mahmud Abu Sadiq (Bangladesh) described ferrocement as the only sustainable and scalable alternative for construction in developing nations. Dr. Govindaraj presented successful applications of ferrocement in water infrastructure and roofing systems, praising its strength and lightweight properties. Er. Owen shared insights from the United States on its structural applications, while Architect Senthil Doss showcased the ferrocement project “One with the Nature,” illustrating the material’s design flexibility.
Dr. Liberato Ferrara, Professor of Structural Analysis and Design at Politecnico di Milano, Italy, Dr. Pete Winslow and Er. David Hewlett, Directors of Expedition Engineering UK, Dr. V. Govindaraj, Head R&D at L&T, Dr. Antoine Naaman, Emeritus Professor University of Michigan USA, Ar. Manish Banker, Founder Tao Architecture, Arjun Doshi founder Studio Acrobat and Ar. Senthil Doss founder Play Architecture, were the eminent speakers at the International Conference. The speakers highlighted that Ferrocement construction remains one of the sustainable options, offering strength to structural elements with optimal weight, and bringing ease of construction for varied architectural forms.
Ferrocement in Education and Policy
A significant announcement came from Prof. Abhay Purohit, who confirmed that ferrocement technology will soon be introduced into the architecture curriculum in line with the National Education Policy (NEP). He further revealed that the COA is establishing a Centre of Excellence at its upcoming Bangalore campus, which also intends to focus on advanced research in ferrocement and emerging construction materials. He added that digital tools and artificial intelligence will play a pivotal role in driving next-generation applications of the material.
The conference concluded on an optimistic note, with participants united in the view that ferrocement is set to play a key role in shaping affordable, resilient, and sustainable construction in the years ahead.
