{"id":102633,"date":"2022-01-03T08:15:10","date_gmt":"2022-01-03T13:15:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/?p=102633"},"modified":"2022-01-04T13:07:04","modified_gmt":"2022-01-04T18:07:04","slug":"the-future-of-architecture-carbon-neutral-concrete","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/industry\/the-future-of-architecture-carbon-neutral-concrete\/","title":{"rendered":"The Future of Architecture: Can the Concrete Industry Achieve Carbon Neutrality?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The jury is deliberating... stay tuned for the winners of<\/i> Architizer's A+Product Awards<\/i><\/span><\/a>! Register for the <\/i>A+Product Awards Newsletter<\/i><\/span><\/a> to receive future program updates.<\/i><\/p>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some architects have been aware of our industry\u2019s addiction to carbon for many years; however, it was only in early 2019 that knowledge of the devastating effects of architecture and construction\u2019s love affair with concrete became widespread<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>mainstream<\/span><\/a>. <\/span>As a result, pressure is rapidly mounting for designers to rethink the materials they champion in their projects. In response, the material industry is also responding by investing in research and development.<\/p>\n

In 2020, the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) released a groundbreaking public commitment to transform how concrete is produced and consumed. Their Climate Ambition Statement<\/span><\/a> proclaimed the industry\u2019s ambitious commitment to cutting emissions by 25% in the next ten years and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 (notably, this goal is to be achieved without offsetting emissions). Composed of 40 of the biggest producers worldwide, the GCCA comprises around 80% of the industry outside China, meaning that they are responsible for roughly 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions.<\/p>\n

The GCCA\u2019s stated goal of cutting emissions by one quarter in the next decade is projected based on existing technologies; however, the journey to carbon neutrality between 2030 and 2050 looks to carbon capture and storage \u2014 technologies that are very much in the development stage at present. While optimistic observers might argue that this is visionary, realists remain concerned that these technologies are not yet in widespread use.<\/p>\n

\"\"For lovers of Brutalism who are uninitiated to concrete\u2019s carbon cost, the issue with the material is twofold, and the use of cement is primarily to blame. On the one hand, 60% of emissions come from the limestone heated to produce Portland cement clinker, emitting substantial quantities of CO2 in the process. On the other hand, CO2 is also produced by the fuels used to heat that limestone, which must reach a temperature of 815 degrees Fahrenheit (1,500 degrees Celsius) to make cement.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the question \u2014 which also lingers in the shadows of broader discussions about climate justice and social change \u2014 remains: Without government regulation, are individual and corporate initiatives powerful enough to solve the crisis on their own? Indeed, while the GCCA producers\u2019 pledge is admirable, many members in the industry argue that it would be better if countries themselves put a price on carbon and develop policies to help speed up the transition. In fact, there are several cases where the national policies currently in place are actually hampering industry development.<\/p>\n