Concrete's role in climate action goals

Scientists at NTU developed concrete that actually captures carbon dioxide while being 3D printed. How: It actively captures CO2 being produced as the by-products of industrial processes. Then, they inject steam and CO2 into the concrete mix as it's being printed, and the carbon gets locked inside. It captures more carbon AND improves the material: - 38% more carbon sequestered - Creates stronger concrete (37% stronger under compression) - Improves the printing process itself by 50% It’s one of those innovations that simultaneously solves an environmental problem while making the product better. The researchers also said they’re looking into using other waste gasses instead of just pure CO2. Hats off to the team at Nanyang Technological University! (Image credit: also from NTU)

Toronto almost built the world’s most sustainable neighborhood. The project didn't go through, but instead turned low-carbon concrete from fiction into reality. In 2017, Sidewalk Labs unveiled an audacious plan: transform a patch of Toronto’s waterfront into the world’s first climate-positive neighborhood. Its Quayside proposal featured buildings made from mass timber, sidewalks that melted snow, and a radical blueprint for cutting urban carbon to near-zero. Then, in 2020, the project was scrapped but was not forgotten. Sidewalk Labs had spent years rallying suppliers, contractors, and municipalities to rethink how cities are built. Even after the deal fell apart, its vision of climate-smart materials didn’t vanish. Aecon took the baton. At its Holland Landing Innovation Centre, the construction giant teamed up with CarbiCrete and Lafarge Canada to pilot a game-changing solution: Concrete blocks made with zero cement, eliminating one of the most carbon-intensive materials on Earth. The results? Stronger performance and a 20x lower global warming potential. Then they doubled down. Aecon launched a second pilot with Carbon Upcycling, embedding captured CO₂ directly into concrete and slashing emissions by 30% and improving strength. One cancelled project. Two pilot programs. Dozens of imitators. It's being written into spec sheets. Municipalities are demanding it. Suppliers like Canal Block are scaling up commercial production. Vision travels, even when projects don’t. If you’re pushing an innovative material, tech, or process, don’t underestimate what a bold prototype can unlock. The ripple effect is real. — Thanks for reading! I write real estate case studies to challenge and inspire way we shape communities. Subscribe: proptimal.com/newsletter.

Microsoft becomes a major force in driving construction sustainability with its recent agreement to purchase over 600,000 metric tons of a new type of #cement that is produced using less energy and produces fewer carbon emissions. It sets a high bar for owners of projects to commit to sustainability through bold commitments to innovative solutions by giving immediate legitimacy and widespread attention to a type of cement that is widely recognized, but is still undergoing scrutiny and sluggish acceptance. #Concrete is the most widely used material on the planet. The manufacturing of the cement used to produce concrete accounts for 8% of global carbon emissions. Efforts to lower the carbon footprint of cement are ongoing and widespread, but rely on strategies such as partial replacement of cement with other lower carbon products or through complicated “carbon-capture” schemes. While these remain relevant and important, the production of a new cement that is chemically the same as traditional Portland Cement but is produced without burning fuel and releasing carbon from the limestone (the raw ingredient) into the air represents a huge step forward. The cement to be purchased by Microsoft for future data center construction is produced to meet the requirements of ASTM C1157, while “traditional” cement is produced to meet the requirements of ASTM C150. The difference is that C150 is a prescriptive standard, specifying chemical and physical properties and emphasizing what the cement is made of. C1157 is a performance based standard that classifies cement by performance characteristics and not composition. While this encourages innovation and can lead to “greener” products, its like anything else that’s new…we don’t really like change in the #construction industry. While the FHWA has been encouraging states to consider acceptance of C1157 cement, only a handful of state DOTs have done so. While some states, such as California, also allow the use of ASTM C1157 in building construction as part of its green building codes and initiatives, the widespread adoption by one of the worlds largest companies for use in their construction projects will push and challenge others to do the same. In addition, think about this: Microsoft and other large companies that are driving data center construction have reignited the race to utilize nuclear energy in an effort to power these data centers. The process of producing traditional cement relies on burning fuel (typically coal or gas) to heat limestone in a kiln. This new cement is produced using electricity, meaning that in the future it is conceivable that cement plants using this process could also be powered by nuclear power plants instead of fueled by coal. #constructionishard #LIPostingDayJune https://lnkd.in/gFnmva5A

Turning coffee waste into concrete 🌎 Researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne have developed a process to transform used coffee grounds into a biochar additive for concrete, replacing up to 15% of the sand traditionally used. This innovation not only reduces reliance on sand, a resource in increasing short supply, but also strengthens concrete by 30% and decreases the cement required by 10%. Concrete production is responsible for approximately 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions, driven largely by the energy-intensive process of cement manufacturing. Innovations like biochar from coffee grounds address this challenge by offering a more sustainable alternative, preserving natural resources and reducing emissions at scale. The process involves pyrolysis, a heating method that converts organic material like coffee waste into biochar without oxygen. This biochar enhances the density and strength of concrete while repurposing millions of tons of waste that would otherwise emit methane in landfills. Australia's annual production of 75,000 tons of coffee waste could replace up to 655,000 tons of sand in concrete. Such innovations highlight the critical role of bio-engineering and circular economy principles in driving sustainable development. By turning food waste into valuable industrial materials, this approach supports the reduction of both emissions and environmental degradation caused by resource extraction. Scaling this solution across industries and regions presents significant opportunities for emission reductions, particularly in construction. Collaborations between research institutions, governments, and companies are essential to advancing these technologies and integrating them into global supply chains effectively. #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #climatechange #innovation

Germany develops self-healing concrete that repairs itself in the rain. German civil engineers have created a revolutionary self-healing concrete that can repair its own cracks when exposed to rainwater — potentially ending the costly cycle of road and building repairs. This breakthrough combines advanced cement chemistry with microencapsulated healing agents, allowing the material to “heal” within days of damage appearing. The secret lies in tiny capsules embedded in the concrete mixture. These capsules contain a limestone-producing bacteria that stays dormant until water seeps into a crack. When rain penetrates the damaged area, the bacteria activates, feeds on calcium lactate inside the capsule, and produces limestone — effectively sealing the gap from within. The result is a watertight repair that strengthens over time. Germany’s autobahn, famous for its high-speed traffic but often plagued by seasonal cracking, is already testing this material. Early trials show that up to 90% of surface cracks disappear within two weeks, even under heavy truck loads. This could mean fewer lane closures and billions saved in infrastructure budgets. The environmental benefits are equally significant. Traditional concrete repair requires energy-intensive cement production and frequent transport of materials. By extending the lifespan of structures, self-healing concrete could cut global cement demand — one of the largest sources of CO₂ emissions — by as much as 30% in the next decade. Urban planners are especially excited about its potential in flood-prone areas. Instead of weakening when exposed to storms and water damage, this concrete actually gets stronger — a game changer for cities facing climate challenges. 🔎 Malaysia’s View For Malaysia, where heavy rainfall, flash floods, and tropical weather cause frequent road damage, this innovation could be transformative. Our highways, bridges, and coastal structures often require costly, repeated maintenance due to cracking and water infiltration. If adopted, self-healing concrete could: * Reduce recurring repair costs for federal and state roads. * Improve safety by minimizing potholes and sudden road failures. * Extend the lifespan of flood-prone infrastructure, especially in East Coast states and low-lying urban areas. * Support Malaysia’s carbon reduction goals by lowering demand for new cement production. If scaled locally, this isn’t just about fixing roads — it’s about reshaping how we think about infrastructure: from constant repair to long-term resilience.

Building materials could store over 16 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually - turning infrastructures into carbon sinks. But just how feasible is it? New research examines how conventional materials like concrete, brick, asphalt, plastic, and wood could be reimagined to sequester carbon actively. The study shows that the scale of material use, rather than carbon density per unit, drives the total storage potential. For example, while bio-based plastics showed the highest storage capacity per kilogram, concrete aggregates emerged as the largest potential carbon reservoir due to their massive global deployment. The researchers found that a rapid transition to carbon-storing alternatives could sequester 920 gigatonnes of CO₂ by 2100 if implemented by 2050. This volume significantly exceeds the storage needed to meet 1.5°C and 2°C climate targets. Even accounting for resource constraints, implementing currently available technologies by 2045 could achieve the median targets for 1.5°C scenarios. A takeaway is that carbon storage capacity grows proportionally with construction demand, potentially reducing reliance on geological or ocean storage. This may create a natural scaling mechanism aligned with development needs. By Elisabeth Van Roijen, Sabbie Miller, and J. Steve Davis from Stanford University, and the University of California, Davis.

CO₂: From Challenge to Opportunity! 👀 If we solve the CO₂ challenge, concrete can really turn into one of the most sustainable construction products. Hard to believe? Let’s take a closer look. Concrete is often underestimated when it comes to sustainability. But if we address the CO₂ issue, concrete stands out: It can be produced locally. On average, ready-mixed concrete travels less than 30 kilometres from the plant to the construction site – in some cases already in electric trucks. And – most importantly – it can be recycled 100%. That makes it a unique building material for a world that needs both resilience and responsibility. For us at Heidelberg Materials, reducing emissions is not just a legal obligation. It’s a matter of conviction. And a big opportunity. Our Strategy 2030 sets a clear course: We are committed to fully decarbonising cement and concrete, step by step, with innovative solutions and a clear vision for the future. By 2030, we aim to reduce our net CO₂ emissions under 400 kg per tonne of cementitious material. We are already putting this into practice:
With innovations like ReConcrete for advanced recycling, and pioneering CCS at our Brevik plant – supplying evoZero, the world’s first carbon captured net-zero cement, to our customers across Europe – we are setting new standards for sustainable construction. Curious how our industry can become truly sustainable? Let’s share ideas and solutions for a climate-friendly future. Every additional idea counts. There is still so much opportunity.

Concrete is the most widely used construction material on Earth, but it comes at a cost: cement production alone accounts for nearly 8% of global CO₂ emissions. Geopolymer concrete offers a different path. Instead of relying on Portland cement, it’s formed by reacting an aluminosilicate source (such as fly ash or slag) with an alkali activator. This process creates a hardened binder with a completely different chemistry than traditional cement. Why does it matter? -Reduced CO₂ emissions: Less reliance on clinker means lower carbon footprint. -Improved durability: Enhanced resistance to sulfate attack, chloride penetration, and freeze-thaw cycles. -Chemical resistance: Strong performance in aggressive environments where traditional concretes deteriorate. -Utilization of by-products: Industrial waste streams like fly ash and slag are converted into high-performance building materials. Geopolymer technology isn’t just about sustainability, it’s about performance and resilience. It represents a step toward concrete that’s designed for the challenges of the next century. Do you see geopolymer concrete becoming mainstream, or will it remain a niche solution? #ConcreteInnovation #Geopolymer #SustainableConstruction #Durability #MaterialsScience Jon Whitney Intelligent Concrete LLC Harry

The #cement industry is on the brink of a transformation, with innovative #startups leading the charge in reducing the #carbon footprint of cement production. Traditional #clinker production, a major source of #CO2 #emissions, is being challenged by three key strategies according to research led by Panuswee Dwivedi at ADI Analytics: 🔍 #Clinker Substitution: Materials like Portland Limestone Cement (PLC) and calcined clay cements (e.g., LC3) are replacing up to 50% of clinker, slashing emissions by as much as 50%. ⚡ Energy #Efficiency: Enhancements in the production process are lowering the reliance on fossil fuels. 🏗 Carbon-Cured #Concrete: Startups like Fortera are pioneering processes that capture CO2 and convert it into cementitious materials, further cutting emissions. With the launch of Fortera’s new facility in California and other startups scaling up, the future of low-carbon cement is bright. ADI’s latest study delves into these groundbreaking developments, offering stakeholders a glimpse into the #sustainable future of #construction. Learn more about green cement here: https://lnkd.in/gsX9_mff