Los materiales de construcción con emisiones negativas de carbono podrían reemplazar al hormigón

The Environmental Cost of Traditional Concrete

When you examine today’s construction sector, it’s obvious that concrete is one of the most widely used materials. The majority of new construction relies on concrete due to its affordability, availability, and flexibility.

Concrete Market Stats

The global concrete market is valued at $402.87B currently, with the US cement market surpassing $ 15.22B in 2025 alone. This demand came from several sources, including government infrastructure projects like roads and highways, which made up 11% of demand.

Data centers were another reason for the concrete market’s recent expansion. According to (aqui), data centers accounted for 247,000 tons of concrete in 2025, with analysts predicting even more growth in this sector in 2026.

Modern Construction is Wasteful

There are several issues that have come to light regarding the growing demand for concrete building materials. For one, the process is very hard on the environment. According to reports, concrete construction accounts for 8% of global CO2 emissions. Sadly, the current fabrication method is energy-intensive, requiring concrete to be baked at high temperatures during its weeks-long curing process.

Tecnologías de Construcción Sostenible

Recognizing the need to strike a balance and achieve sustainability, engineers have spent countless hours trying to figure out ways to create sustainable construction technologies. These strategies cover a wide range of approaches, from utilizing biomaterials to revolutionary designs that require fewer materials to complete.

Fuente - WPI

One of the most interesting methods in which engineers have sought to reduce the effects of concrete fabrication is through the use of hydrogel-based scaffolds. This is the type of concrete, enabling it to withstand water erosion and not leach into the water at dangerous levels.

Problems with Sustainable Construction Technologies Today

There has been progress over the past decade of research put into reducing the environmental impact of concrete fabrication. However, to date, the majority of approaches have required complex fabrication methods that don’t scale, or at the very least some additional coating or protective layer. This lack of results led many researchers to think that it was nearly impossible to create carbon-negative construction materials via low-energy methods.

WPI Study Results: Enzymatic Materials vs. Concrete

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Thankfully, WPI researchers didn’t get the memo. The “Durable, high-strength carbon-negative enzymatic structural materials via a capillary suspension technique ¹” study published in the scientific journal Matter explains how the team was able to create carbon-sink construction materials utilizing Enzyme-catalyzed mineralization composite formations.

Enzyme-Catalyzed Mineralization

Specifically, the team created a purpose-built enzyme mixture alongside a capillary suspension strategy that enabled them to capture precipitated calcium minerals within a carbon matrix. Once interwoven within the matrix, the particles naturally bond together.

Enzymatic Structural Material (ESM)

This approach eliminates the need for artificial curing methods like baking in ovens under intense heat. It also creates a moldable material that provides structural strength on par with concrete alternatives. At the center of this technology is the use of thermal curing strategies to naturally create CaCO3-bridged ternary composites with adjustable porosity and mechanical properties.

Captura de CO2

Aside from being easier to fabricate and less harmful to the environment, ESM has another major advantage in that it actually works as a carbon sink. Carbon sinks trap CO2, removing it from the atmosphere and locking it away in storage.

Fuente - Celular

Impressively, ESM has enzymes that solidify CO2 and convert it into more solid material. This carbon capture structure gives it a major advantage in terms of environmental impact. Its carbon-negative design and sink capabilities make this material fall directly in line with UN environmental guidelines for a sustainable future.

Carbon-Sink Construction Materials Test

Nima Rahbar and his team tested their new material for strength, durability, hydro-resistance, and carbon capture capabilities. They also tested the strength of the material after it had been molded into different shapes and using varying processes, enabling the team to fine-tune their approach.

Carbon-Sink Construction Materials Study Test Results

The results of the study were positive. Impressively, ESM outperformed concrete in terms of hydro resistance. Additionally, the reports showed that the material used a Hydrochar microstructure to surpass traditional concrete in terms of structural strength.

Specifically, the material registered an average compressive strength of 25.8 MPa. This score places these materials beyond the current capabilities of other sustainable construction alternatives, including living building materials (LBMs) and engineered living materials (ELMs).

The engineers also noted that the production method was far more environmentally friendly compared to traditional concrete. Creating a cubic meter of ESM produced only 6kg of CO2 compared to 330kg required to create a similar amount of traditional concrete.

Advantages of Enzymatic Structural Materials (ESM)

There is a long list of benefits that ESM brings to the market. For one, it provides a comparable alternative to traditional concrete, which, because of its widespread use, already has extensive infrastructure and professionals who can now utilize ESM without making any major alterations.

ESM provides more strength thanks to the particle-binding and curing process used in this design. Additionally, it cures much faster than concrete. Traditional options need at least 28 days to cure properly. In comparison, ESM cures in a few hours. Enabling rapid constructability and repairability.

Económico

There are also financial reasons why ESM is seen as a major milestone in the sector. For one, it lowers labor requirements during the fabrication method. Additionally, its repairability means lower maintenance fees. Also, the extreme moldability of this material reduces construction waste, reducing construction costs while extending the life span of projects.

Global

Another major plus of ESM is that it can be scaled up and produced at industrial levels. It offers comparable strength and moldability, and less waste. All of these factors equal more money for concrete fabricators and more quality for those utilizing the materials.

Ecológico

When you zoom out to the big picture, ESM provides a viable alternative to traditional concrete. One that is environmentally friendly. Its carbon sink design could help to fight climate change and reduce the impact of cities, roadways, and more.

Also, the material was designed from day one to be recyclable. The goal is to create a circular manufacturing process. If successful, ESM could be pivotal in helping to sustain affordable housing, infrastructure, and maintenance projects in the future.

Commercial Timeline for Carbon-Negative Concrete

There are many applications for ESM moving forward. For example, you could see its use in future infrastructure and large-scale construction projects. The integration of carbon-capturing materials will help to lower the impact of sprawling human expansion and shrinking forests.

Notably, roadways are one of the leading causes of CO2 emissions. From their asphalt and concrete fabrication methods to how they are laid, and even the cars that drive on top of them, every step produces more CO2. ESM use would create roadways that help to trap CO2 from vehicles, reducing emissions.

Commercialization Timeline & Adoption Outlook

You could see ESM in use within the next 5 years. There is still more testing that will need to be done before this material is accepted in major infrastructure projects. However, it aligns with the UN’s net-zero carbon charter and provides more affordable fabrication alongside less environmental impact. As such, this technology will likely see massive demand.

Carbon-Sink Construction Materials Researchers

The carbon-sink construction study was led by Scientists at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Specifically, Ralph H. White Family Professor and head of the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, Nima Rahbar, is listed as the lead on this research. The paper also lists Shuai Wang, Pardis Pourhaji, Dalton Vassallo, Sara Heidarnezhad, and Suzanne Scarlata as contributing members.

Carbon-Sink Construction Materials Future

The team will now set its sights on securing reputable industry partners to help scale its ESM fabrication process. This step will require them to further examine how to improve ESM mechanical properties, durability, and efficiency.

Public Market Exposure to Sustainable Construction

There are a variety of companies that have spent millions on research in search of better alternatives to today’s wasteful construction technologies. These firms understand that sustainability is key to ensuring prosperity in the future. Here’s one company that continually pushes innovation while remaining a reputable name in the sector.

CRH (CRH)

While lab-based solutions like ESM are in their infancy, industry giant CRH is the incumbent most likely to scale them. As the leading building materials business in North America, CRH has moved aggressively beyond traditional concrete through its $250M Venturing & Innovation Fund.

Notably, CRH has partnered with Carbon Upcycling Technologies (CUT) to deploy commercial-scale carbon capture. In July 2025, CRH’s Ash Grove subsidiary broke ground on a first-of-its-kind facility in Mississauga, Ontario, designed to capture CO2 directly from cement kilns and mineralize it into building materials. This aligns directly with the carbon-sink principles demonstrated in the WPI study.

By investing in startups through its “Sustainable Building Materials” accelerator, CRH acts as a bridge between academic breakthroughs and industrial reality, making it a “pick-and-shovel” play for the decarbonization of infrastructure.

Notably, CRH has begun to show some positive movement in 2026, jumping from $125.51 to $131.38 on January 9, 2026. Currently, it has a 50-day MA showing a bullish stance that falls in line with its current 31% annual gains.

Latest CRH (CRH) News and Performance

Carbon-Sink Construction Materials | Conclusion

Impressively, the team’s hard work and dedication could result in a monumental shift in the market. If even 1% of global construction shifts toward carbon-negative materials like ESM, it could boost the market to the next level while reducing CO2 emissions moving forward.

When you consider the added sustainability, reduced costs, and modularity, it’s easy to envision a future where manufacturers prefer to work with ESM over traditional concrete. All of these factors, combined with more affordable and rapid curing, tunable strength, and recyclability, could help to drive adoption in the future.

Learn about other game-changing sustainability projects aquí.

Referencias

^{1. Wang, S., Pourhaji, P., Vassallo, D., Heidarnezhad, S., Scarlata, S., & Rahbar, N. (2025). Durable, high-strength carbon-negative enzymatic structural materials via a capillary suspension technique. Matter, 102564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2025.102564}