CarbonBuilt recognized for novel CO₂ utilization and carbon avoidance without higher production costs or new production plants.
LOS ANGELES (August 22, 2023) – CarbonBuilt’s ultra-low carbon concrete was recognized by the prestigious Fast Company Innovation by Design 2023 awards in three separate categories: Circular Design, Materials, and Sustainability.
CarbonBuilt’s core technology enables concrete producers to replace high-cost and high-carbon cement with a lower-cost, low-carbon cement alternative, then capture and use CO₂ during the manufacturing process to produce concrete blocks that have 70-100+% less embodied carbon than traditional blocks.
Given the lower cost of raw materials, it doesn’t cost concrete producers any more to make ultra-low carbon concrete than traditional concrete and the technology can be integrated into existing production plants.
“This recognition by Fast Company reflects not just the innovative design of our technology, but also of our business model…”
— Rahul Shendure, CarbonBuilt CEO, Director
“We’ve believed from the outset of our journey that adoption was dependent on economics,” Shendure said, “And our solution doesn’t increase the cost for our customers to produce a truly more sustainable product for which demand is growing.”
The Innovation by Design Awards, which can be found in the September 2023 issue of Fast Company, honor the designers and businesses solving the most crucial problems of today and anticipating the pressing issues of tomorrow.
Now in its 12th year, the competition features a range of blue-chip companies, emerging startups, and hungry young talents. It is one of the most sought-after design awards in the industry.
“So much innovation news these days is focused on AI. This year’s Innovation by Design honorees are a reminder that it’s human ingenuity that drives invention.”
— Brendan Vaughan, Fast Company Editor-in-Chief
CarbonBuilt’s first customer, Blair Block in Childersburg, Alabama, recently began the production of the world’s first ultra-low carbon concrete. The first line at the plant will avoid at least 2,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions plus remove more than 500 tonnes of atmospheric CO₂ per year. Through process optimization and integration of additional lines, Blair Block and CarbonBuilt expect to increase this impact over time.
The judges include renowned designers from a variety of disciplines, business leaders from some of the most innovative companies in the world, and Fast Company’s own writers and editors.
Entries are judged on the key ingredients of innovation: functionality, originality, beauty, sustainability, user insight, cultural impact, and business impact.
ABOUT CARBONBUILT™
CarbonBuilt, winner of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, enables concrete manufacturers to produce ultra-low carbon concrete products with 70-100% less embodied carbon. CarbonBuilt’s technology replaces most of the expensive, high-carbon Portland cement typically used during concrete manufacturing with a proprietary low-cost cement alternative made from widely-available low carbon materials. These materials harden after chemically reacting with CO₂, to not only strengthen the blocks, but also permanently store the CO₂ in solid form, diverting it from the atmosphere. Because it can be cost-effectively installed at existing concrete manufacturing plants and delivers products that meet ASTM C90 and other applicable industry standards without increasing costs, CarbonBuilt’s technology can be rapidly adopted by the nearly 800 concrete plants in the U.S. alone.
About Fast Company
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.
Media Contact
John Williams, Scoville PR for CarbonBuilt
206-660-5503, jwilliams@scovillepr.com
