August 2026
The construction industry faces a major challenge: Building materials such as concrete, cement, and asphalt are indispensable for housing, infrastructure, and transportation networks, but they are also among the largest sources of emissions. The building and construction sector is responsible for approximately 34% of global emissions. To achieve climate goals, innovative solutions are needed to make the construction sector more sustainable. In addition to the use of low-carbon and recycled building materials, the development of reliable carbon sinks is particularly important for achieving these goals in the long term.
In the white paper “Decarbonizing the Built Environment with Biochar: A Blueprint,” our partner association Biochar Europe is highlighting the potential of Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR) for decarbonizing the construction industry. The focus is on integrating biochar as a technical carbon source into concrete applications, supplemented by insights into its use in asphalt. By using biochar as a functional additive, buildings and infrastructure can store CO₂ over the long term and thus become carbon sinks themselves.
One of the highlights of the white paper is its strong practical focus. Drawing on contributions from projects by Holcim, STRABAG, and our members ecoLocked and CarStorCon Technologies GmbH, it demonstrates how biochar is already contributing to more sustainable construction.
Read the full white paper here: “Decarbonizing the Built Environment with Biochar: A Blueprint”