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🗞️ Driving the news: Sheffield-based startup earth4Earth has launched a new type of brick that absorbs and permanently stores carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
• The company claims its manufacturing process avoids CO₂ emissions by producing lime at room temperature — unlike traditional bricks, which rely on high-heat limestone kilns that emit greenhouse gases
• Pilot projects using the bricks are already underway in Sheffield
🔭 The context: The construction sector is one of the most resource-intensive industries globally, responsible for approximately 38% of energy-related CO₂ emissions
• Traditional building materials, particularly cement and fired bricks, are carbon-intensive both in production and use
• As demand for sustainable construction grows, low-carbon and carbon-storing materials are gaining traction
• earth4Earth’s innovation seeks to address both material circularity and embodied carbon in construction
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: If scalable, carbon-absorbing bricks could significantly cut the climate impact of building projects, especially when combined with circular practices like reuse and soil regeneration
• By avoiding fossil-fuel-fired kilns and using excavated soil waste, the bricks also reduce landfill burden and promote material reuse
• However, broader climate impact depends on lifecycle verification, durability standards, and localised production
⏭️ What's next: earth4Earth plans to relocate production from Wuhan to the UK in 2026 to shrink transport emissions
• The company must now validate the bricks' structural integrity and long-term performance to meet building codes and attract commercial adoption
• Academic partners and independent testing are expected to play a role in certification and broader deployment across the UK and EU
💬 One quote: “We are incredibly excited about how our work is going to help construction projects achieve net zero and the huge difference it will make in restoring planetary health.” – Theodore Hanein, Co-founder, earth4Earth
📈 One stat: The construction industry consumes more raw materials and produces more waste than any other sector, according to Sheffield Hallam University
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