The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Hyderabad on Thursday inaugurated India’s first building made of bio-bricks from agro-waste. Calling it a perfect illustration of ‘Wealth from Waste’, IIT-H Director BS Murthy said the institute will submit a proposal to the Ministry of Agriculture to promote its wider adoption by the rural community.

Researchers at the IIT demonstrated that agricultural waste can be converted into sustainable materials which, in turn, can be used to build eco-friendly, cost-effective structures. In April this year, the team secured a patent for the bio-brick material and its manufacturing technology.