CAGBC, U of T to receive $1.7 million contribution for carbon capture study
The Burying Carbon in Buildings: Advancing Carbon Capture and Utilization in Cementitious Building Materials project funded in part by the Government of Canada
- Theme
- Zero Carbon
November 28, 2022 – Ottawa ON – Today, the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC), in partnership with the University of Toronto (U of T), announced a contribution of $1.7 million in funding from the Government of Canada through the Climate Action and Awareness Fund. The contribution will support an industry-driven project centered on carbon capture and utilization research.
The Burying Carbon in Buildings: Advancing Carbon Capture and Utilization in Cementitious Building Materials research project will work on promising solutions to lower Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). It will identify the potential and implications of low-carbon approaches and technologies and how they might capture large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and trap it in concrete.
Today, carbon capture often requires expensive storage or unprofitable ways to use CO2. However, concrete and its main components (cement, water, aggregates, and admixtures) can utilize CO2 as an input ingredient, potentially making it a cost-effective path to negative emissions. Since concrete is the most widely used material on earth after water, using it to capture carbon could have significant environmental and economic benefits.
Carbon capture has the potential to shift from an incremental cost of business for emitters to an economic opportunity that leverages CO2 in market-viable products. No sector represents a greater opportunity for carbon utilization than construction and infrastructure, as they represent the most material-intensive sector in the Canadian economy.
This research collaboration between academia and industry will critically review and identify the potential role and effectiveness of carbon capture and use in concrete, potentially aiding Canada’s efforts to lower GHG emissions. The research findings will complement efforts by designers, producers, policymakers, industry, municipalities, and governments to advance solutions and a roadmap for low-carbon cement and concrete construction, and aid in the life cycle analysis of buildings and infrastructure. The research will also provide context for climate policy development, including carbon pricing and climate action plans.
The federal funding for this project is supported by Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Climate Action and Awareness Fund largely created from the $196.5 million fine paid by Volkswagen to the Environmental Damages Fund for circumventing Canada’s environmental protection rules. The Fund supports projects that will help reduce emissions across Canada and is strengthening Canada’s capacity to take climate action by empowering youth and communities and boosting climate change science and research.
About the Canada Green Building Council
The Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) supports and champions green building in Canada. CAGBC services and products help the building sector construct and operate buildings that are better for people and the planet. By working collaboratively with our members, industry, and government stakeholders, we are building our way forward to a sustainable and low-carbon future. Learn more at cagbc.org .
About University of Toronto
Founded in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada’s top university with a long history of challenging the impossible and transforming society through the ingenuity and resolve of its faculty, students, alumni, and supporters. We are proud to be one of the world’s top research-intensive universities, bringing together top minds from every conceivable background and discipline to collaborate on the world’s most pressing challenges. Learn more at utoronto.ca/