The construction sector is one of the largest contributors to global carbon emissions, with ordinary Portland cement responsible for a substantial share of industrial CO2 release. Cement production relies on energy-intensive clinker manufacturing and limestone calcination, which together generate unavoidable process emissions. At the same time, rapid urbanisation and infrastructure renewal are increasing the demand for concrete, creating a pressing need for low-carbon and scalable alternatives that do not compromise performance, durability, or safety. Within the European Green Deal and climate-neutrality targets, developing next-generation construction materials that can both reduce emissions and actively store carbon is a strategic priority for climate mitigation, resource efficiency, and industrial transformation.
This project addresses this challenge by developing a new class of zero-clinker, negative-CO2 concrete. The core idea is to replace conventional clinker-based binders with alternative mineral systems that can be synthesised at lower temperatures and designed to actively capture and mineralise CO2 during curing and service life. By integrating carbon into the material itself, concrete can shift from being a major carbon source to becoming part of the climate solution. This approach directly responds to the need for scalable, durable, and economically viable low-carbon construction materials that fit existing production and application workflows in the construction industry.
A key barrier to deploying such materials is the lack of mechanistic understanding of how new binders form, evolve, and interact with CO2 and water across length scales. The project therefore adopts an atomic-to-material design pathway. At the smallest scale, it will uncover how key mineral building blocks form, dissolve, and reorganise, and how CO2 can be incorporated into stable solid phases. These insights will guide the rational design of binder compositions and processing routes. At the material scale, the project will translate atomic-level understanding into formulations with targeted mechanical strength, durability, and carbonation capacity. This multi-scale pathway is essential to move beyond trial-and-error development and toward predictable, tunable low-carbon concrete systems.
The expected impacts are significant in scale and relevance. Scientifically, the project will provide a foundational understanding of carbon-incorporating cementitious materials, enabling a new paradigm for sustainable binder design. Technologically, it will deliver design principles and candidate formulations for clinker-free concrete with negative net CO2 footprints, compatible with existing construction practices. Societally and economically, the project supports Europe’s transition toward climate-neutral infrastructure by opening pathways to reduce emissions from one of the hardest-to-abate industrial sectors, while strengthening innovation capacity in green construction materials. By contributing knowledge and tools for carbon-negative concrete, the project aligns with European strategies on climate action, circular economy, and sustainable urban development, and lays the groundwork for future industrial uptake and policy-relevant innovation in low-carbon construction.
