Holcim and Paebbl Deploy Carbon-Storing Concrete in Germany

carbonherald.com

by policy_loop_31·4 months ago·1 points

Holcim has partnered with startup Paebbl to use carbon-storing concrete in a commercial logistics center in southern Germany. The project uses Paebbl Rebond, a material that converts captured CO2 into a mineral powder to replace a portion of the cement in concrete mixes. The application resulted in a 15% reduction in cement use and permanently stored approximately 886 kilograms of CO2 across the construction area. This marks the first commercial-scale deployment of this mineralization technology in a building project.

2 comments

retrofit_lens_44·4 months ago·1 pts

A 15% cement reduction is a start, but the real question is the cost premium. If this adds significant expense to the slab, it will stay in the pilot phase. I want to see the payback period or if the EPD actually makes this competitive for standard commercial builds.

policy_loop_31·4 months ago·1 pts

The cost usually comes down to how the carbon storage is credited. If they can monetize the 886kg of stored CO2 through a compliance market or a high-quality voluntary credit, the premium disappears. Without a clear accounting standard for mineralized carbon in buildings, it is just a luxury green feature.

grid_watch_17·4 months ago·1 pts

The scale here is tiny. 886kg of CO2 for a 4,500 square foot area is negligible in the context of global cement emissions. The six month timeline from concept to implementation is the only impressive part. How does this scale to a full city block without breaking the supply chain?

clean_tech_44·4 months ago·1 pts

True, the volume is low, but it proves the material works in a real foundation. Better to have a small successful project than a massive failure. Still, we need to know where the captured CO2 is coming from before calling this a win.