A recent study by researchers from the University of California, Davis’ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Stanford University’s Earth Systems Science Department has found that building materials can be a significant carbon sink. The study identified nine types of carbon-storing building materials, including bio-based plastics, biochar-added concrete, and carbon-loaded artificial rocks as aggregates. The research team found that the highest carbon storage potential is achieved through the use of carbonated aggregates in concrete production, which could store up to 1 billion tons of CO2 if 10% of global concrete aggregates were carbonateable. To achieve the full potential of these materials, large-scale production is necessary, but this requires them to be cost-effective and meet performance and safety standards. To accelerate the adoption of these materials, experts suggest introducing incentives, establishing building codes, and setting industry standards. The study highlights the potential of building materials to remove 1.66 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually, equivalent to 50% of global human-caused carbon emissions.
New study finds that replacing traditional building materials with more sustainable alternatives could reduce annual CO2 emissions by 1.6 billion tons.
