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illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Forbes or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: The construction sector, a major contributor to carbon emissions is exploring the use of alternative materials to reduce its environmental impact
• This change is being powered by green concrete start-ups, such as Paebbl which turns CO2 into construction materials and Fortera, which can potentially eliminate emissions from existing cement facilities
🔭 The context: The construction industry is heavily reliant on the use of concrete and cement, which have substantial carbon footprints
• Concrete production alone accounts for about 8% of global carbon emissions, a figure that is expected to rise further still
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: With the construction sector being a major emitter, transforming how materials like concrete are produced and used has significant implications for reducing worldwide carbon emissions
• Ensuring the possibility of using alternative ‘green’ materials may be critical in helping the industry transition to net zero
⏭️ What's next: The Climate Group, together with World GBC, is championing the ConcreteZero campaign, encouraging businesses to commit to using 100% net zero concrete by 2050
💬 One quote: “We’re already building a new Paris every week. We need to... accelerate innovation across the sector. We must also ensure that concrete is specified and used efficiently with sustainability at the forefront of the decision making.” (Iva Munro, Climate Group)
📈 One stat: Cement, the 'glue' in concrete, represents only 15% of concrete materials but contributes to 80% of the associated CO2 emissions
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