The project objective is to examine the capacity of innovative blue-green design approaches, in the form of various mixtures, surface textures, and three-dimensional shapes of BIO-enhancing materials,…

This two-year, $400,000 project grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce supports research under the Congressionally Identified Awards and Projects program. The University of Hawaii at Manoa will examine the capacity of bio-enhancing concrete materials, textures, and shapes to enhance native coral habitat and provide coastal infrastructure protection in Hawaii. Pilot applications of eco-concrete, composite pumice, and carbon-infused concrete on small seawall sections at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology aim to promote habitat for corals, invertebrates, and fish. This engineered "living shoreline" approach explores restoring reef ecosystems while safeguarding shorelines, in line with the program's objectives in marine and atmospheric science education and facilities support.

The project objective is to examine the capacity of innovative blue-green design approaches, in the form of various mixtures, surface textures, and three-dimensional shapes of BIO-enhancing materials, to enhance native coral habitat and provide protection to critical coastal infrastructure in hawai'i. Combining alternative seawall designs with a method for rapidly growing coral fragments, the hawai'i institute of marine biology (himb) at the university of hawai'i will explore the potential use of engineered coral reef "living shoreline" approaches for coastal protection and restoration. This project will pilot BIO-enhancing concrete materials, textures and shapes (e.g. ECO-concrete, composite pumice, or carbon infused concrete) on small sections of seawall at himb to promote habitat for native organisms including corals, other invertebrates, and fish, to achieve ECO-friendly designs that simultaneously restore reef habitat and protect the shoreline. This project would