BendiNewsTest: ‘Thirsty’ concrete absorbs 880 gallons of water a minute to minimize urban floods

Concrete is typically vilified by environmentalists because of its high embodied footprint, but a new brand might change a few minds. As global temperatures continue to rise, record rainfall plagues some areas of the planet. The increase in rainfall stemming from coastal storms, along with tsunami-like waves, has caused deadly flooding this summer in places like Japan and the American midwest, and predictions for the coming years are just as grim. The ultra-porous concrete could help save lives during floods by absorbing 880 gallons of gushing water in just one minute. City planners and urban engineers probably don’t immediately think about concrete when they think about storm water management, but this “thirsty concrete” could help them rethink their future strategy.