GreenJams | Carbon-Negative Agrocrete Building Blocks

GreenJams | Carbon-Negative Agrocrete Building Blocks

Green Architects & Builders

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 – Climate Action, SDG 9 – Industry Innovation and Infrastructure

Company Overview

GreenJams is an Indian construction materials company that develops cement-free masonry and binder products from agricultural residues and industrial by-products. The company was founded by civil engineer Tarun Jami, who began with hempcrete for the Indian construction sector and later turned to crop residues that are commonly burnt in the field.

The company’s work centres on a proprietary alkali-activated binder, which serves as the base chemistry for its block, brick, paver and mortar ranges. Its flagship material, Agrocrete, was developed in 2019 and is described by the company and by the Solar Impulse Foundation as a carbon-negative bio-concrete. A patent has been filed for the technology, according to a venture database.

GreenJams positions its work around two linked problems: the embodied carbon of conventional masonry and cement, and the open burning of crop residue. Farmers supply the residue, and industrial by-products from steel and power generation supply the mineral fraction of the binder.

The firm is registered as Greenjams Buildtech Private Limited and operates from Visakhapatnam, with additional presence in Bengaluru and Mysore. Its stated ambition is to remove 10 percent of global carbon emissions by scaling Agrocrete products.

Recent milestones include winning the Swachhata Startup Challenge in 2022, being featured on the MIT Solve platform, and receiving the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label for Agrocrete in January 2026.

Why These SDGs Matter

SDG 9 is relevant because GreenJams develops a new binder chemistry and a product range that replaces ordinary Portland cement in masonry and mortar. This is materials innovation applied directly to construction infrastructure.

SDG 11 applies because the products are used in housing, commercial, industrial and boundary-wall construction, where thermal performance and material choice shape the long-term footprint of urban and peri-urban buildings.

SDG 12 is supported by the production model. Crop residues, fly ash and slag are converted into structural inputs, and the on-site and circular manufacturing options process construction and demolition waste and reclaimed soil into new masonry.

SDG 13 is directly relevant because the core claim of the business is reduced and, for Agrocrete, net-negative embodied carbon per unit of material. This is a mitigation outcome at the product level rather than an indirect benefit.

Products & Services
  • Agrocrete hollow blocks
  • Agrocrete solid blocks and solid bricks
  • Novastone concrete bricks and blocks
  • Novastone kerbs, pavers and Mati bricks
  • BINDR ready-mix mortar and plaster binder
  • On-site block manufacturing units for large projects
  • Hyperlocal toll manufacturing of masonry orders
  • Circular manufacturing from construction and demolition waste
  • Trained mason deployment and low-rise turnkey construction
Business Challenges Solved
  • High embodied carbon in cement-based masonry and mortar
  • Heat gain through walls and resulting cooling energy demand
  • Disposal of construction and demolition waste and excavated soil
  • Need for EPR documentation and recycled-content records on projects
  • Long water-curing periods that slow masonry schedules
  • Carbon reporting data requirements for green building projects
  • Transport cost and delay for masonry supplied from distant plants
  • Disposal of crop residue that would otherwise be burnt
Approach & Methodology

GreenJams builds its range on a single platform material, an alkali-activated binder called BINDR. The binder combines ground granulated blast furnace slag from steel manufacturing, proprietary alkaline activators, and industrial mineral by-products such as fly ash. The activation reaction takes the place of the water-driven hydration used in ordinary Portland cement, and the blending is carried out at ambient temperature without kiln calcination.

Agrocrete adds processed crop residue, such as paddy straw, to the binder and fly ash matrix. According to the founder, residue is collected from farmers, then chopped and processed before being formed into blocks. The company states that the residue stores carbon within the product, which is the basis of its carbon-negative classification, supported by an environmental product declaration.

On the delivery side, the company offers three operating models. A dedicated block plant can be set up and run inside a large project site. A network of local manufacturing nodes around Bengaluru produces orders close to the project, with batch quality testing and carbon reporting provided with each order. A circular model takes in construction and demolition waste and reclaimed soil from active sites and converts it into finished masonry with recycled-content documentation.

Products are referenced against Indian Standard codes and test reports from the Central Building Research Institute, as stated by the company. The binder is positioned as a drop-in replacement in existing plants without changes to mix ratios.

Market Position

GreenJams operates in the low-carbon masonry and binder segment of the Indian construction materials market. Its primary customers are builders, developers, project owners and block manufacturers who either buy finished masonry or adopt the binder in their own plants.

The company competes against clay brick, fly ash brick, concrete block and cement-based mortar suppliers. Its positioning rests on a cement-free formulation, a product-level carbon declaration and compatibility with existing site practice.

A further point of differentiation is the breadth of delivery models, which span supply of finished products, plant set-up on site and conversion of project waste into masonry. The company remains early-stage in revenue terms, and an aggregator database reports revenue of about one crore rupees for FY25.

Procurement Considerations
  • Request the environmental product declaration and confirm the programme operator, scope and validity period.
  • Obtain CBRI test reports and Indian Standard conformance records for the specific product and grade.
  • Confirm structural suitability, since Agrocrete is positioned mainly for walling and insulation rather than all structural uses.
  • Check curing, storage and handling requirements, and compare with current site practice.
  • Compare delivered cost against existing brick or block supply, including transport from the nearest manufacturing node.
  • Verify supply capacity and lead times for large volumes, including crop residue and slag availability.
  • Ask for batch QC records, carbon reporting and EPR or recycled-content documentation with each order.
  • Clarify warranty, mason training and installation support for exposed-grade masonry.

Funding, Recognition & Ecosystem
  • Winner of the Swachhata Startup Challenge (2022), organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and AFD with Villgro as implementation partner.
  • Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label awarded to Agrocrete (January 2026); GreenJams is a member of the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions.
  • Solution profile on the MIT Solve platform.
  • Described by YourStory as backed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Natnavi Analysis

GreenJams matters because cement and fired brick account for a large share of building-sector emissions in India, and few suppliers offer alternatives with a declared product-level carbon figure. Its binder platform gives the company a path beyond a single block product, since the same chemistry feeds masonry, mortar and plaster.

The use of crop residue and industrial by-products connects two waste streams to one material, which aligns the product with both climate and air quality concerns. The multiple delivery models are also notable, because they let buyers adopt the materials without changing their own plants or site practice.

Several strengths are evident. The company has third-party recognition through the Solar Impulse label, a documented project history across several Indian states, and a technology narrative that is explained in unusual detail on its own materials.

Buyers should weigh a few considerations. Many performance and savings figures are company-reported and depend on project conditions, so independent verification is advisable. The company is small, and scaling raw material supply, particularly consistent crop residue and slag, will shape its ability to serve large orders. Agrocrete is positioned for walling and insulation, so specifiers should match each product to its structural role.

Overall, GreenJams is a credible early-stage entrant in low-carbon construction materials that merits technical due diligence from procurement teams.

Sources & References
Website
Founded: 2017
Company Stage: Startup
Headquarters
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
Geographic Presence
GreenJams is based in Visakhapatnam and lists operating presence in Bengaluru and Mysore. Its local manufacturing network serves projects around Bengaluru. Completed Agrocrete projects are documented in Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu, covering residential, industrial, services and mixed-use buildings. The company's customer base is in India, with samples orderable online.
Solution Type
Manufacturer, Technology Provider
Sustainability Outcomes
Air Quality Improvement, Carbon Reduction, Circular Economy, Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Infrastructure, Waste Reduction
Industries Served
Chemicals & Materials, Commercial Buildings, Construction & Real Estate, Manufacturing
Last Reviewed: October 6, 2026

Related Companies

Trending now

Indian Carbon Credit Trading Scheme
What is the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme and How It’s Shaping India’s Carbon Market
Marketing AI Prompts
The 7 Step AI Marketing Audit Framework for Sustainable Businesses
greenwashing
Why False Sustainability Claims “Greenwashing” Are Becoming a Business Risk
How to Generate Carbon Credits From Agriculture and Sell Them Internationally
How to Generate Carbon Credits From Agriculture and Sell Them Internationally

Sign In

Forgot password?

Register

Reset Password

Please enter your username or email address, you will receive a link to create a new password via email.