8 building technologies that cut carbon: carbon-storing concrete, mass timber, smart glass, and more

Buildings account for about 32% of global energy use and 34% of global CO2 emissions, according to UNEP. This article looks at eight technologies aimed at shrinking that footprint, with a focus on embodied carbon in materials like cement and steel, not just operational energy. Carbon-storing concrete, cross-laminated timber, electrochromic glass, phase-change materials, sand-based thermal storage, and bio-receptive facades are all covered in one overview. Some of these are closer to commercial scale than others. Mass timber and carbon-mineralized concrete are already appearing in real projects, while smart glazing and phase-change materials still depend heavily on cost, climate, and installation context. The article is a useful starting point for anyone tracking low-carbon building tech, though it does not include specific pricing or deployment data. Worth reading for the technology map.