Spain's Granada Pioneers Urban Innovation: A New Road for Cleaner, Cooler Cities

WPB says a cutting-edge project that originated in the University of Granada, Spain, is revolutionizing city streets forever. Researchers have designed a revolutionary new type of pavement called Urban Masai that will curb pollution, lower the heat island, and significantly reduce the carbon output of traditional asphalt. This initiative, made possible through a collaboration between the University of Granada and the Granada City Council, is a grand endeavor at planning city infrastructure with existing environmental and social needs.

Compared to conventional asphalt—paving 20% to 60% of city pavement—Urban Masai uses plant-based bioligands to replace part of the asphalt binder. Not only does this reduce reliance on fossil-based materials, but it also reduces carbon emissions when produced. The product is manufactured at lower temperatures, with less energy consumption, reduced pollutants released, and greater recycling of locally gathered wastes.

Traditional asphalt is accompanied by numerous challenges: its energy-intensive production process, low durability against intense urban traffic, impermeability causing runoff and flooding, and black surface color, which boosts urban heating. According to European Space Agency satellite data, cities are between three and seven degrees warmer compared to adjacent rural communities. The effect, known as the urban heat island effect, has global effects. The United Nations has warned that it could increase average global temperatures by as much as one degree by mid-century, precisely the time when the majority of the world's population will be residing in urban cities.

In response to such alarming trends, the LabIC.UGR research group, led by professors María del Carmen Rubio Gámez and Fernando Moreno Navarro, has produced Urban Masai a pioneer solution. The pavement is not only environmentally and energy-efficient but also practically advantageous to the urban way of life: reduced rolling noise, improved drainage, and increased resistance in traffic conditions that are heavy or complicated such as slopes, roundabouts, or bus lanes. On top of that, it contains treatments that catch pollution emitted by motorized vehicles, and directly contribute to cleaner urban air.

The project has been received by Granada mayor Marifrán Carazo as a model of urban innovation, turning the Spanish city into an example to be followed in sustainability and technological innovation. Likewise, the rector of the University of Granada, Pedro Mercado, has pointed out that this project is relevant as a clear example of putting science into action for social transformation.

The cooperation agreement, which both sides signed, represents a common commitment: the University will carry out scientific and technical competence, carbon footprint monitoring, leadership of education and outreach programs, and the municipality government will integrate these technologies into formal projects and bidding. Both seek to accelerate cooperative research, gain national and international funding, offer specialized training, and even explore developing a particular corporate chair. Although the project does not take the form of instant cash investment, it provides a foundation for more longer-term initiatives with profound potential for impact.

As a whole, Granada, Spain, is setting the standard today for urban progress and sustainability. Urban Masai is not merely a substitute building material; it represents the vision of healthier, more sustainable cities that are better suited to meet the challenges of the future. Through a convergence of scholarship and public policy, Granada is not only becoming a testing ground but also an international model for how urban development can move toward climate responsibility and sustainability.

By Bitumenmag

Asphalt, Bitumen, Technology