NEbeton
At Designblok 2026, the NEbeton project steps out of the laboratory and into the interior. The low-emission, cement-free material developed by Cementum with the support of Inovace od Buřinky takes the form of a modular system designed by Balance is Motion — an installation that reveals both the material’s possibilities in the interior and the unique properties that make it a gentler alternative to conventional concrete.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a modular system designed by Balance is Motion. Its individual elements can be easily taken apart, recombined into different configurations and adapted to a specific space and way of use. Shelving, tables and seating all grow from the same set of modules — and change along with the needs of their user instead of being discarded and replaced. The installation presents NEbeton not only as a technical material, but as a distinctive aesthetic element in its own right.
NEbeton is built not on cement but on a unique blend of binders, from which a “geopolymer” is formed through alkaline activation. Its production draws above all on secondary and recycled raw materials — dust from brick grinding, ground waste glass and other inputs that would otherwise end up as waste. As a result, the material can have up to 84 % lower CO₂ emissions than ordinary concrete of the same strength class, save up to two tonnes of natural resources per cubic metre, and work with low water consumption.
The project is the result of a collaboration between three partners. Cementum brings the material know-how, developing cement-free, low-emission materials through the principles of the circular economy. Balance is Motion gives the material its form, translating it into a modular system for the interior. The whole project is supported by Inovace od Buřinky platform that has worked since 2019 to help innovations in construction and housing move from development into everyday practice.
