Carbon Capture Concrete Hits London Sites

New Construction Projects Show Promise for Environmentally Friendly Building Materials

Concrete, a major source of carbon emissions, is getting a green makeover in London. Several new construction projects are using carbon capture concrete, a material that absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it cures.

This technology has the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry, which is responsible for about 7% of global emissions. Carbon capture concrete is made by adding a special type of cement to the concrete mix. This cement contains a chemical that reacts with carbon dioxide in the air, forming a mineral that locks the carbon dioxide in place.

The first carbon capture concrete project in London is a new office building at 20 Fenchurch Street. The building is being constructed by Skanska, a Swedish construction company. Skanska is using a carbon capture concrete mix that contains a cement called CEMFREE. CEMFREE is made by Ecocem, a British company. This results in using 30% less cement than the average concrete mixture.

Another carbon capture concrete project in London is a new residential development at Nine Elms. The development is being constructed by Ballymore, an Irish developer. Ballymore is using a carbon capture concrete mix that contains a cement called CarbonCure. CarbonCure is made by a Canadian company of the same name. CarbonCure consists of waste carbon dioxide that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.

The use of carbon capture concrete in these projects is a significant step forward in the fight against climate change. If the technology is widely adopted, it could help to reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry by up to 50%. This amount of reduction would be a major contribution to the global effort to limit climate change.