Elise Berodier's research is focussed on understanding how concrete is used in urbanizing countries to develop efficient solutions to reduce vulnerabilities and the environmental impact of future cities. She develops trans-disciplinary projects with international universities with the objectives of improving the sustainability of concrete by looking at the actual context of construction through the multiple lenses of material science, knowledge management, economics and building practices.

She obtained her doctorate in Material Science from EPFL, investigating the chemical reactions of cement hydration when using alternative materials such as natural limestone, calcined clay and by-products from industry. Her study brought a number of important new insights into the mechanisms governing the rate of hydration in cementitious systems.

After her PhD, she worked for GCP Applied Technologies, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of admixtures for cement and concrete in Cambridge, MA, USA. She has used her scientific expertise to work with the Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation in Haiti, where she met multiple actors in the construction sector in the attempt to identify barriers to good practice in concrete-making.

In addition to her research, she is involved in the Low Carbon Cementitious Initiative (LCCI) that aims at promoting eco-cementitious materials through producing educative material and is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Elise Berodier was a workshop expert at the 6th International Holcim Forum for Sustainable Construction in Cairo, April 4-6, 2019.