Some people head for high ground when a storm is coming. Not Shimrit Perkol-Finkel and Ido Sella. Both marine biologists, they head for the sea. With climate change, extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy are likely to happen with greater frequency and force. Finkel and Sella have a practical solution for coastline protection.

Their solution is to change the composition, texture, and design of concrete so that it fosters growth of native flora and fauna while increasing the operational life span and stability of the concrete structure. ECOncrete reformulated a product used to build marine infrastructures so that nature itself makes the structures stronger while reducing wave action along the coast. Marine plants and animals — oysters, barnacles and coral — deposit calcitic skeletons that add weight, stability, and longevity to the infrastructure.