A recent study suggests that buildings and infrastructure could become significant carbon sinks if they switch to construction materials that store carbon. The study, published in Science, found that if all building materials were CO2-sequestering, the construction industry could store approximately 16.6 billion tonnes of CO2 per year. This is roughly 40% of the current annual CO2 emissions. The researchers examined the potential for storing carbon in various materials, including concrete, bricks, asphalt, plastic, and wood. They found that the amount of material used was more important than the storage potential of each material. Concrete, which is widely used, had the most potential as a carbon sink due to its large quantity used. The study suggests that the building industry is risk-averse and may initially use these new materials in non-load bearing applications, such as insulation and flooring, before widespread adoption. The researchers believe that this could be a major breakthrough in delivering net zero cities.
Can buildings be transformed into potent carbon-absorbing entities?
