Waterloo engineering student makes brickmaking breakthrough

Rania Al-Sheikhly (left) and Adrian Simone co-founded MicroBuild Masonry, a runner-up for the national James Dyson Award for student inventions. (Courtesy: University of Waterloo)

A project inspired by a co-op work term on a construction crew has put a Waterloo engineering student in the running for an international invention prize.

Adrian Simone, a fourth-year University of Waterloo civil engineering student, was announced as a national runner-up in the 2022 James Dyson Award competition on Wednesday, the university said in a media release.

Simone’s proposal involves using bacteria to make bricks.

Bio-Brick, the project entered by startup MicroBuild Masonry, is now up against student inventions from 28 other countries for two top prizes of $45,000 USD.

Simone was doing a co-op term as project manager for a crew laying asphalt when he was struck by the impact of the hot, dirty work on the health of the workers.

“I started thinking there has to be a better way to do this,” he said.

Simone is currently working on a process that uses recycled aggregate and natural microbial process to form masonry units with the same strength and durability as a regular brick.

Waterloo Engineering has a long track record of success in the annual competition, the university said.

“Young design engineers have the ability to develop tangible technologies that can change lives,” James Dyson, inventor and founder of Dyson Ltd. said in the release. “The James Dyson Award rewards those who have the persistence and tenacity to develop their ideas.”

A shortlist of 20 international finalists will be announced in October.