1 million cubic yards of CarbonCure^TM concrete in the US

Challenge

To reduce the use of cement across the BMC business to help with LEED requirements (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in the US, this was a Government initiative that was launched to encourage the use of alternative materials providing a framework for highly efficient and cost saving green buildings which offer environmental, social and governance benefits. BMC used approximately 200,000 tonnes per annum and the use of CarbonCure^TM solution would reduce this by up to 5 per cent totalling 10,000 tonnes of cement reduction per annum.

Solution

BMC in the US are using a carbon capture technology developed in North America to make concrete with waste CO₂ from the gas/ethanol industries. CarbonCure^TM solution injects captured CO₂ directly into concrete while it is being loaded and mixed. Applicable to both precast and ready-mix products, the company says this permanently stores 15lbs/25lbs of CO₂ per yard and has been deployed in projects across the US since 2017. Delivering over 135,000 truck loads of CarbonCure^TM concrete enabling savings that represent 7,930 metric tons of CO₂^, this is the equivalent of taking 1,720 cars off the road for a year.

BMC has been using the CarbonCure^TM solution for eight years, across 11 operational sites and has recently hit the milestone of over one million cubic yards of CarbonCure^TM concrete produced and delivered. CarbonCure^TM uses these CO₂ savings to generate and sell carbon credits, and it shares revenue from these sales with BMC.

BMC and CarbonCure^TM are committed to growth in 2025 with the addition of a further three ready-mix sites and the opportunity to add precast facilities to the carbon saving product.

Impact

2024: