C-Crete Technologies is developing a method for using carbon dioxide captured at industrial sources or from the air as an ingredient in its cement-free concrete, in work accelerated by US$2m of funding from the US Department of Energy (DOE).
"The DOE funding will help propel C-Crete's already eco-friendly product into the exceptional category of carbon-negative building materials, possibly the first pourable, ready-mix concrete product to achieve this longtime goal of the industry," the company said in a statement.
Around 80t of C-Crete's cement-free concrete was recently poured in the foundations, shear walls and floor slab of a commercial building and more projects are underway. The CO2 incorporated into the product (whether captured from the air as the concrete cures or from industrial point sources), could be used in a diluted form, eliminating the costly step of separating it from other gases. Once mineralised in the concrete, the diluted CO2 would make the new material stronger, tougher and more durable than conventional concrete.
At the core of C-Crete's innovation lies its patented high-performance, cement-free binder technology that uses different local materials as feedstocks. C-Crete's binder produces almost no CO2 in its manufacturing and continues to absorb it from the air over time. Its scalability and cost-parity with conventional cement make it a viable alternative to ordinary Portland cement, a statement by C-Crete said.
The DOE's support for C-Crete's work underscores the profound impact that innovative approaches can have in the battle against carbon emissions, the company noted.
"We are committed to crafting a cement-free, ready-mix, carbon-negative concrete that doesn't just mitigate carbon emissions but actively contributes to reversing climate change," says Rouzbeh Savary, PhD, founder and president of C-Crete Technologies. "Our aim is nothing short of revolutionising this hard-to-abate, carbon-heavy sector of the construction industry."
"We need to do testing to get the use of next-generation materials like C-Crete's right, and that requires early adopter field trials," says Donald Davies, a developer and structural engineer with 33 years in the business, whose building in Seattle was the site of C-Crete’s first commercial pour. "It's exciting to be a part of helping C-Crete on this important next step forward."