Concrete Contamination | How can we reduce the 4 billion pounds of CO2 that the concrete manufacturing process emits annually?
A company on a mission, CarbonCure is empowering the concrete industry to enhance processes, simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint.
THE PROBLEM
Concrete has, quite literally, been the foundation for progress on a global level. It has supported urbanization, housing and some of the greatest structures of our time. Unfortunately this long-standing, reliable substance has a flaw. It is a major contributor to climate change.
Second to water, concrete is the most widely-used resource on the planet. This importance generates an industry that is widely accountable for adhering to sustainable business practices. Annually, the concrete industry produces more than 4 billion tonnes of cement, which tragically accounts for approximately 8% of the global CO2 emissions. It contributes more CO2 than aviation fuel (2.5%) and is not far behind the global agriculture business (12%). In order to keep this industry compliant with the Paris Agreement on climate change, this sector will need to reduce their carbon emissions by at least 16% by 2030.
So, what do we do? With an industry that is only expected to grow, as nations continue to develop and populations soar, the need for an industry adjustment is towering. By 2060, it is estimated that the number of buildings on our earth will double. How do we modify an industry giant of this size? Luckily, there are people and companies that are already on it and boldly adjusting the industry standards!
A SOLUTION
Let us introduce you to CarbonCure, a company so certain that you will find the promise of remedy right in their name. CarbonCure began in 2007, when founder Robert Niven was inspired by a United Nations Summit on climate change. Thinking to himself, “The scientific community understands that CO2 can be chemically converted to a mineral within concrete. So why can’t we find a way to use CO2 in every-day concrete, and help concrete producers respond to the demand for green building products?” From that moment, Carbon Cure has become the world leader in CO2 utilization technologies for the cement and concrete sector.
CarbonCure Technology has single-handedly improved the industry’s operations by injecting an exact dosage of carbon dioxide (CO2) into ready mix concrete and concrete masonry products, through this process the CO2 becomes chemically converted into a mineral. This mineral ensures it will never be released into the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas.
This particular process exhibits two major advantages. One, stronger concrete is achieved, which allows producers to enhance their cement mixes, while reducing the carbon footprint. Two, green building is realized, by reducing the carbon footprint of the concrete it allows producers to differentiate their brand and increase sales within the quickly growing, green-building market.
In an incredibly traditional industry it can often be very difficult to incite change; particularly with industries that are very closely tied in with politics, governance and economies. But with revolutionary ideas, it can be done! CarbonCure has managed to start a revolution, in one of the most conventional and long-standing industries on this planet, by creating something that concrete producers simply cannot live without in today’s rapidly evolving green business climate. Reducing the environmental impact of conventional industries can be done, and CarbonCure is proof of that.
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