Chiang Mai University has made history for Thailand’s engineering and environmental sectors after winning the prestigious IET Engineers in Society Awards 2025 in Sustainability and Climate Change, presented by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). IET, holding a Royal Charter since 1921, is a world-leading British engineering institution with more than 150 years of heritage. This distinguished recognition underscores CMU’s success in advancing its mission of becoming a carbon neutrality university and solidifies its position as the country’s leading figure in environmental innovation.

CMU’s Building Beyond Roads project won the top prize for its innovative approach to transforming plastic waste and stone dust into a high-value construction material that strengthens road surfaces, is environmentally friendly, and achieves a negative net-carbon footprint — creating a true “negative-carbon road” on campus. The project also preserves existing ecosystems by ensuring no impact on major tree roots. It exemplifies a seamless balance between technical ingenuity and environmental responsibility.

Building on the success of its green road initiative, CMU has advanced its eco-friendly infrastructure efforts with the launch of Thailand’s first-ever eco-friendly parking area — U-Parking, a negative-carbon parking prototype spanning 6,000 m? in front of UNISERV. Designed and operated by the Faculty of Engineering, U-Parking features a porous surface that allows water to permeate, preventing waterlogging and enabling water reuse. The structure is made from plastic waste and biochar, helping to reduce both solid waste and agricultural burning. The project delivers a carbon reduction equivalent to 22.5 acres of forest each year. U-Parking will also serve as a prototype for the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization’s upcoming road construction project in areas containing 150-year-old Yang-na (Dipterocarpus alatus) trees.

The Negative Carbon Parking & Road project is led by Associate Professor Dr. Peerapong Jitsangiam, from the Department of Civil Engineering and the Multidisciplinary Research Institute (MDRI). The project focuses on developing a construction technique that integrates concrete with carbon-removal materials, specifically biochar derived from agricultural waste, to create a new form of eco-friendly concrete. This is further enhanced by permeable pavement technology that supports sustainable water management.
This innovation reduces carbon emissions throughout every stage of construction, marking a significant milestone in CMU’s advancement of practical, environmentally responsible infrastructure.

This landmark achievement is the result of strong collaboration with leading global partners. The National University of Singapore (NUS) evaluated the project’s sustainability performance through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and ensured scientific credibility, while Siam Cement Group (SCG) played a key role in scaling the innovation into real-world production, delivering a total of 600 tonnes of concrete. The project also serves as a foundation for developing SCG’s Carbon Storage formula for their CPAC Extra Base Layer, which aims to replace conventional base and sub-base materials and is now expanding into commercial markets. This cross-sector collaboration demonstrates the global potential of Thai innovation and aligns with SCG’s Inclusive Green Growth initiative, positioning Thailand as an emerging global leader in engineering for environmental protection.