Reducing Concrete’s Carbon Footprint

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“We are working with the low-carbon concrete research team to develop a real-world application for demonstration purposes and ongoing research. It’s really exciting to participate as a partner in the kind of initiative that embodies the City’s and university’s leadership on climate action.”

Speros Kanellos, Director, Facilities Management, and Construction at the City of Kingston

Reducing Concrete’s Carbon Footprint

To help reduce the environmental impact of concrete manufacturing, researchers from Queen’s University, along with collaborators from the University of Toronto and the University of Cambridge, are working on solutions to make one of the highest- carbon dioxides producing industries more sustainable and environmental-friendly.

Approaches such as shape optimization, which involves designing structures to use less concrete, are being explored to achieve this goal. The initial research and testing will take place at Queen’s civil engineering labs. With the support of the city of Kingston and industry partners, the project will then move from the lab to the community.

Concrete, despite its widespread use, accounts for nearly 10% of total global carbon dioxide emissions. This research, supported by industry partners and funding sources, aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions from concrete production in half.

For more information, visit: Queen’s University.