The construction industry is responsible for about 39% of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Because of this, more companies are developing low-carbon building material.
Cross-laminated timber, or CLT, is one such material that is trending recently. Trees can capture carbon in the form of wood, which is then used as timber for building material. Combined with energy-efficient insulated panels like Kingspan’s KarrierPanel, CLT can create low-carbon solutions for large-scale projects.
The
new Catalyst Building in Spokane, Washington is the most recent example of these two low-carbon building materials working in tandem to create Net Zero buildings.
The International Energy Agency also highlighted growing momentum for the technology, recently
reporting that plans for 30 new carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) have been announced since 2017.
The technology is also garnering U.S. presidential support. A recent Reuters article
noted that President Joe Biden has pledged to accelerate the development of carbon capture technology as part of his plan to tackle climate change and recently named Jennifer Wilcox, an expert in carbon removal technologies, as the principal deputy assistant secretary for fossil energy at the U.S. Department of Energy.
CCUS significantly reduces emissions from a number of important sectors, including the steel, cement, chemicals and refining industries and is considered one of the few solutions that can remove CO
2 from the atmosphere at an industrial scale. The technology can permanently store carbon by injecting it into rock formations deep underground or enable the carbon to be used in industrial processes, converting it into things like plastics, concrete or biofuel.
It will take the collective efforts of industry and government coupled with the deployment of a wide range of technologies to stave off the most serious impacts of climate change and keep global warming below 2.7° Fahrenheit (1.5° Celsius).
While CCUS is expected to play a key role in the transition to a net-zero energy system, it is only one part of a larger ecosystem of solutions and initiatives aimed at mitigating climate change. Solutions such as increasing energy efficiency, increasing the use of renewable energy, electrifying transportation, and reforesting regions can all help keep temperatures down. It is also critical to focus on embodied carbon, which cannot be mitigated at a later date. As we reduce the amount of carbon produced to manufacture and transport materials for the built environment, we contribute positively toward reducing global warming.
Kingspan is leveraging a broad range of advanced materials, building systems and digital technologies to help stem the tide of climate change through our
Planet Passionate program. This 10-year sustainability program is aimed at doing our part to move to a clean energy future, manage the Earth’s resources more sustainably and protect our natural environment.
We have a long way to go in the race against climate change. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), global atmospheric carbon dioxide reached
409.8 parts per million in 2019, a new record high and the highest levels in 800,000 years. We are seeing the impact of this in rising sea levels, devastating hurricanes and other climate extremes. And without dramatic action it will only get worse. How much worse? World Economic Forum scientists are
saying Antarctica’s melting ice sheet could wipe out entire nations.
The clock is ticking…