A low-carbon cement alternative

MIT spinoff start-up C-Crete developed an alternative to traditional cement made of locally available mineral feedstocks, which reduces the CO2 emissions of concrete drastically.

As the binder ingredient in concrete, cement has a very high carbon footprint, as it is responsible for about 7 per cent of human-caused global CO2 emissions. Concrete is the second most used substance in the world, after water (which is also an ingredient of concrete).

C-Crete developed a patent-pending recipe using locally available mineral feedstocks and industrial byproducts to make cement-free concrete. The materials can be made without the need for high temperatures, which causes the high CO2 emissions in Portland cement. In addition, the new binder absorbs CO2 over time, to make the concrete even greener.

The new binder can be used in the same ratio of gravel to cement and sand to cement to make concrete.

The start-up’s material was used in July in the renovation of a historic building in Seattle in the US.

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