The world’s building stock is expected to double by 2060—that’s equivalent to building a new New York City every month! Given its strength, durability, and availability, concrete will be the most common construction material used in these new projects.
This outlook is great news for concrete producers. However, with an increased focus on climate change by governments and industries around the world, design and construction communities are prioritizing suppliers who can help them reduce the impact of embodied carbon in their construction projects.
This presents a massive market opportunity for concrete producers who can deliver low-carbon concrete. Since there is no credible alternative to concrete, innovation in concrete mix design offers the biggest potential for CO2 reduction in the built environment.
Bill Gates Puts Low-Carbon Concrete in the Spotlight
Bill Gates is one of the leading advocates for low-carbon concrete. In a recent 60 Minutes segment with Anderson Cooper, Bill discussed his new book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, and described how industries—including construction—must change in order to meet our climate goals.
Bill spent some time stressing the importance of innovative, practical technologies that will help eliminate carbon emissions from the construction industry. One breakthrough Bill honed in on was CarbonCure for Ready Mix.
He described how concrete producers can use it to reduce the cement content of concrete, while also storing recycled CO2 in the concrete itself—offering one of the most effective ways to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete, without compromising on strength and durability.
This is not the first time concrete has been highlighted as a solution to climate change—and not a problem. Last year, Irving Materials, Inc. (imi) and CarbonCure were featured in a video on Bill’s blog, Gates Notes for the work they’re doing to deliver low-carbon concrete to the construction industry.
Watch the Gates Notes video featuring imi and you can catch the replay of the 60 Minutes episode on CBS.
If you’d like to chat about how you can join the low-carbon movement, please get in touch with a CarbonCure representative or call 1-844-407-0032.