Project Summary

Post Rock is pioneering a new future for building materials - one where plastic waste becomes an asset rather than a liability. Developed by a University of Michigan research team out of Taubman College, Post Rock transforms mixed plastic waste and mineral aggregates into durable facade panels with the visual appeal of stone and a dramatically lower carbon footprint. 

The team has secured patents for their novel fabrication process in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, formalizing the unique method behind Post Rock’s distinctive aesthetic and high performance. To date, they’ve attracted more than $300,000 in follow-on funding, including a $250,000 NSF Partnerships for Innovation award and a $50,000 ADVANCE Proof-of-Concept grant to support additional prototyping and market development.

With support from a Catalyst Grant, the team made critical progress toward commercialization. Their work focused on two key challenges: sourcing consistent, high-quality recycled content and identifying ways to improve how sustainability benefits are reflected in industry standards.

To tackle sourcing, the team evaluated plastic waste streams form regional automotive manufacturing and analyzed over 100 categories of plastic waste to identify promising feedstocks. They created a regional value chain map showing how plastic waste could flow from suppliers to processors to end users, offering a visual case study and framework for strengthening the circular economy in the Great Lakes region. 

To address the persistent undervaluing of sustainability benefits, the team partnered with the Global CO2 Initiative and engaged stakeholders across the supply chain, including waste processors, manufacturers, architects, and builders. Through technical analysis and stakeholder interviews, they explored how Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are created, used, and interpreted. Their research uncovered key gaps in current EPD standards that limit the ability of circular products to fully demonstrate their climate benefits. These insights reveal opportunities to improve sustainability reporting frameworks and better capture the environmental value of upcycled materials like Post Rock.

By aligning aesthetics, performance, and sustainability, Post Rock is shifting construction practices toward more circular, climate-smart materials, laying the foundation for next-generation building ecosystems.

This project received a $10,000 Catalyst Grant in 2022. 

Project Team: Meredith Miller, PI (Taubman |  U-M Ann Arbor), Volker Sick, Co-PI (Engineering | U-M Ann Arbor), Christopher Humphrey, Co-I (Taubman | U-M Ann Arbor), Thom Moran, Co-I (Taubman | U-M Ann Arbor)