co2ncreat

The main objective of the co₂ncreat project is to contribute to the decarbonization of the European construction sector, offering a new line of carbon negative pre-cast materials such as masonry blocks. This project offers a sustainable and environmentally sound alternative to the traditional manufacturing process of concrete elements needed for those blocks. The new co₂ncreat process will replace the cement and natural aggregates used in traditional blocks with residues from slag recycling centres and CO₂ captured from the exhaust gases of the lime manufacturing process.

Carbstone Technology^®, patented process developed by Orbix Solutions, allows to produce precast elements for the construction sector by the combination of wasted by-products from stainless steel industry and CO₂ which is used as the binder instead of cement. Thanks to the close collaboration between the consortium’s members, this technology will be implemented throughout an efficient process by using industrial gases directly from the lime kilns of Lhoist. Two kilometers away, the building materials manufacture Prefer will produce masonry blocks from the gases transported by pipeline which will built and operate by Fluxys Belgium.

co₂ncreat will be the first carbonation project using CO₂ without any purification or liquefaction. The energy needs will be therefore greatly reduced and the GHG emissions related will be low to the extent that the blocks will store more CO₂ in its material than the manufacturing process will emit into the atmosphere. Based on a yearly production of 130 000 t of eco-responsible blocks, co₂ncreat will avoid of more than 190 000 t of GHG over the first ten years.

The four Belgian partners involved in co₂ncreat conduct the project in line with local and circular principles.

The lime manufacturing process consists in burning natural limestone directly taken from quarries. The lime produced by Lhoist is used (outside the project) by a Belgian stainless-steel producer in their production process for purification purposes mainly. Steelworks by-products (slag) are recovered by Orbix Solutions, which ensures their recovery. The lime introduced at the inlet of the steel process is now found in the form of a recycled carbonatable mineral material which will be the raw material used for the manufacture of the masonry blocks.

Based on the Orbix’s patented technology and the recover raw material, Prefer will transform their production process from cement-based concrete blocks into carbonated blocks. To close the loop completely, the CO₂ used in the project will be the CO₂ emitted by Lhoist during the lime production. This CO₂ will be transported at the blocks production unit by Fluxys Belgium.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.