The groundbreaking study by Van Roijen et al. (2025) published in Science discloses that building materials could store more than 16 billion tons of CO₂ annually. That's about half of all the CO₂ humans emitted globally in 2021. This study reveals the transformative potential of carbon-storing building materials as a scalable solution for carbon dioxide removal (CDR).
Building materials, such as concrete, bricks, asphalt, wood, and plastics, make up an enormous mass of our built environment. The use of building materials worldwide is increasing. For example, concrete aggregate is produced at 21.7 billion tons per year. Traditionally, producing these materials contributes up to 23% of global CO₂ emissions. But these materials can be adapted to trap CO₂ in buildings for a long-term period, turning them from carbon emitters into carbon sinks.
Which building materials store the most CO₂?
Van Roijen et al. have identified 8 primary building materials with substantial carbon storage capabilities. Which building materials store the most CO₂? The table below lists the 8 building materials in terms of their annual production, CO₂ storage potential, and carbon storage per kilogram.
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