Concrete

The production of concrete or cement, the most important component of concrete, produces large amounts of CO₂ emissions. On the one hand, cement production is very energy-intensive and therefore often CO₂-intensive (if fossil fuels are used). However, most of CO₂ emissions are caused by a chemical reaction during the combustion process (geogenic CO₂ dissolves from the limestone). Overall, cement production is responsible for around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions – about four times as much as the total global aviation industry. However, reinforced concrete is indispensable for certain constructions, e.g. in the underground. In order to minimize embodied emissions in buildings, underground construction should therefore be avoided as far as possible. In addition, the choice of concrete also plays a role, as for some types embodied CO₂ emissions are up to 40% lower.


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