A new collaboration aims to reduce carbon emissions in construction.
- Aggregate Industries teams up with neustark to process demolished concrete.
- The partnership targets a reduction of 1,000 tonnes of CO2 annually at a London site.
- neustark criticises traditional carbon capture methods while promoting mineralisation.
- The initiative supports broader decarbonisation goals in the UK construction industry.
In a significant move towards sustainable construction practices, Aggregate Industries and neustark have announced a partnership to incorporate liquefied carbon dioxide (CO2) into demolished and recycled concrete at a site in London. This collaboration aims to repurpose concrete rubble by injecting it with CO2, transforming it into a carbon sink.
neustark, a carbon removal firm from Switzerland, has already removed 2,500kg of carbon dioxide using 19 sites across Europe. The company plans to expand this innovative approach to the UK, specifically at Greenwich in London, which is projected to facilitate the removal of 1,000 tonnes of CO2 annually by sinking approximately 10kg of CO2 into each recycled tonne of concrete.
The construction industry is a notable contributor to global carbon emissions, accounting for 37% of them, with cement production alone responsible for 7%, according to a 2023 United Nations Environment Project report. Despite ongoing efforts, the UK construction sector remains behind on its net zero targets, necessitating accelerated decarbonisation strategies.
The method employed by neustark, known as mineralisation, offers a more permanent solution than traditional carbon capture and storage (CCS) techniques. This process involves capturing CO2 from biogas plants, liquefying it, and incorporating it into mineral waste streams to produce new building materials. As neustark’s CEO, Valentin Gutknecht, highlights, this initiative represents a forward-thinking shift towards embedding carbon removal within existing supply chains without the need for extensive new infrastructure.
Aggregate Industries’ CEO, Lee Sleight, supports this partnership as a vital step in advancing the circular economy by reusing concrete—a major waste stream—and locking carbon within it. The company is poised to leverage London’s abundant supply of demolished concrete for the project, which not only focuses on carbon removal but also promotes sustainability in construction.
This partnership could inspire others in the construction industry to adopt similar technologies, thereby accelerating their own efforts towards achieving net zero emissions.
This venture marks a significant step forward in incorporating sustainable practices within the construction industry, potentially setting a benchmark for others to follow.
