WORCESTER, Mass. - Concrete is seemingly everywhere, from sidewalks to buildings. We see it almost every day and now a longer lasting version could be better for the environment.

A professor at WPI is developing a new "self-healing concrete." Associate Professor Nima Rahbar is using an enzyme found in red blood cells to create it.

He says it's four times more durable than traditional concrete and would extend the life of concrete-based structures and eliminate the need for expensive repairs or replacements.

By doing so, it would also reduce CO2 emissions.

“Production of concrete is very costly. Production of concrete and transport of that cement and concrete to the site contributes to about 9% of global CO2 omission. So that’s a problem," Rahbar said. "When I approached that problem, one of the ideas I had was to create a concrete that in the best case scenario heals itself as the small cracks that develop will fill up with it, it prevent the attack of ions and water into the system."

The research is being published in the peer-reviewed journal "Applied Materials Today."