A Finnish company is turning air pollution to stone with nearly $2 million in seed funding.
This is not some kind of taboo alchemy, but legitimate science from Carbonade, a company that uses chemistry to mineralize the carbon dioxide that causes global warming.
This method produces material that can be used in concrete and reduces the amount of highly contaminated cement needed to bind the mix. According to a TechCrunch article about the innovation, this concept interestingly prevents air pollution from accumulating and producing it.
If Carbonide is able to get its planned pilot plant up and running at scale, the results could be big for the construction industry and for the planet.
The Guardian reported that concrete is the second most used material on earth. It is widely reported that this industry is responsible for approximately 8% of the world’s air pollution.
“Our goal with Carbonade is to not only reduce the carbon footprint of construction materials such as concrete, but also to create cutting-edge technology that can trap more carbon than is emitted over its lifetime. It is about creating a more sustainable future,” said Carbonade CEO Tapio Vemas. In a report from TechCrunch.
The U.S. Geological Survey describes mineralization as a chemical reaction that occurs when “certain rocks are exposed to carbon dioxide,” trapping contaminants.
The carbonade process, which has been receiving praise since at least 2022, can bond mineralized carbon into “precast concrete.” This method reduces the amount of cement required while avoiding the release of unrealized dirty air into the atmosphere. Cement manufacturing is the most polluting part of the concrete sector (up to 90% according to the National Resources Defense Council).
As a result, carbonade experts told TechCrunch they believe they could cut the air pollution load from the most common types of cement in half.
“It’s only natural that the built environment is a carbon sink, because it’s the largest amount of man-made material,” Vehmas told TechCrunch.
This is a problem that other innovators are grappling with as well. Surprisingly, sustainable solutions can even be borrowed from the ancient past, as researchers learn more about the Roman building techniques that sustained structures through the centuries.
Mainstreaming efficient, sustainable and energy efficient construction concepts will reduce air pollution and also lead to significant savings. For example, some simple weatherization projects can save hundreds of dollars annually while preventing more than 1,000 pounds of air pollution, depending on the scope of the work.
Experts at Bari Homes in Arizona say smartly built homes can pay for themselves. In addition, decision-making can also be improved by 300% because living quarters can provide fresh air, according to Valli, citing a Harvard University study.
Carbonade’s cleaner concrete can only enhance the sustainable design concepts already in place. At the moment, the focus is on the test operation of the production line in Finland. The latest press release from November states that the company has added more knowledge to its roster by placing experts in charge of commercializing innovations.
As Vemus pointed out, the biggest commercialization challenge will be ensuring a lower cost structure than carbon-polluting alternatives. “Otherwise, I’m not sure our technology will be widespread,” he says.
“If everything goes according to my dreams, our technology will begin the process of making the built environment a carbon sink instead of a massive source of emissions in the future,” Vehmas told TechCrunch. .
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