CarbonCure-Capturing Carbon in Concrete Blocks

Could injecting carbon dioxide (CO2) directly into concrete masonry units (CMUs) during production be a tool for lowering carbon emissions from construction? The makers of the CarbonCure Block System say that their system both lowers the environmental impact of CMUs and improves their overall strength.

The production of portland cement, a key ingredient in concrete, results in approximately 5% of the world’s anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Reducing the amount of this CO2 in concrete products has long been an industry goal, but CarbonCure is the first company to bring to market a viable, mass-produced product that “sequesters” significantly more CO2 from the atmosphere than standard concrete without requiring a radical change in technology.