# A Mission to Decarbonize the Construction Industry with Keegan Kirkpatrick, Founder and CEO of RedWorks

- Show: [Hardware to Save a Planet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet)
- Published: 2024-02-29
- Length: 39m
- Episode: 47
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-02-29-a-mission-to-decarbonize-the-construction-industry-with-keegan-kirkpatrick-found
- Listen: https://podcasts.fame.so/e/vnwkky4n-keegan-kirkpatrick-a-mission-to-decarbonize-the-construction-industry

## Summary

Keegan Kirkpatrick, Founder and CEO of RedWorks Construction Technologies, explains how his company manufactures structural bricks and masonry units on-site using excavated dirt, a technology originally developed for NASA's lunar habitat challenges. He details the use of inductive heating to fuse silica-based soil into solid materials, highlighting the massive reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional concrete production and transport. Kirkpatrick discusses the business model of leasing equipment to builders, the engineering challenges of adapting precision induction systems for rugged construction sites, and the regulatory landscape for new structural materials in the US.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-02-29-a-mission-to-decarbonize-the-construction-industry-with-keegan-kirkpatrick-found#t=3) Introduction: Keegan Kirkpatrick and RedWorks
- [2:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-02-29-a-mission-to-decarbonize-the-construction-industry-with-keegan-kirkpatrick-found#t=136) Kirkpatrick's Aerospace Background and Space-Climate Connection
- [8:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-02-29-a-mission-to-decarbonize-the-construction-industry-with-keegan-kirkpatrick-found#t=528) RedWorks Origins: From NASA Centennial Challenge to Earth
- [13:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-02-29-a-mission-to-decarbonize-the-construction-industry-with-keegan-kirkpatrick-found#t=787) The Technology: Inductive Heating and On-Site Brick Production
- [17:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-02-29-a-mission-to-decarbonize-the-construction-industry-with-keegan-kirkpatrick-found#t=1038) Business Model, Cost Savings, and Market Entry Strategy
- [29:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-02-29-a-mission-to-decarbonize-the-construction-industry-with-keegan-kirkpatrick-found#t=1774) Engineering Challenges: Induction Systems and Durability
- [23:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-02-29-a-mission-to-decarbonize-the-construction-industry-with-keegan-kirkpatrick-found#t=1410) Regulatory Landscape and Material Consistency
- [33:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-02-29-a-mission-to-decarbonize-the-construction-industry-with-keegan-kirkpatrick-found#t=1991) Future Vision and Closing Advice

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Certification & compliance](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/certification-and-compliance)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- RedWorks Construction Technologies (company)
- NASA (company)
- Astrobotic (company)
- Mazda Space Systems (company)
- Synapse (company)
- JLL Green Tech Foundation (company)
- University of Hawaii at Hilo (company)
- ASTM (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Literally unearthing a climate solution with Cody Finke of Brimstone](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-11-16-literally-unearthing-a-climate-solution-with-cody-finke-of-brimstone) (How I Built This)
- [20. NASA’s New Moon Buggy, Rock Picking Robot, Super-Strong Concrete](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-06-01-20-nasas-new-moon-buggy-rock-picking-robot-super-strong-concrete) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [3D printing a housing revolution with Jason Ballard of ICON](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-01-3d-printing-a-housing-revolution-with-jason-ballard-of-icon) (How I Built This)
- [22. How to Turn Gum into Shoes, Reducing CO2 in Construction by 40%, High-Speed Flying Boats](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-06-15-22-how-to-turn-gum-into-shoes-reducing-co2-in-construction-by-40-high-speed-flyi) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [Building a decarbonization army with Shashank Samala of Heirloom](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-08-building-a-decarbonization-army-with-shashank-samala-of-heirloom) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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