recycled concrete makes up carbon-storing pedestrian bridge
In Rosmalen, Netherlands, Paebbl and Heijmans unveil the dubbed world’s first pedestrian bridge made of recycled, CO₂-neutral concrete that can capture and store carbon dioxide over time. The structure is seven meters long and uses 75 percent circular raw materials. For the project, recycled concrete replaced normal sand and gravel, so no new sand or gravel had to be taken from nature, a way to protect rivers, landscapes, and ecosystems that are often damaged by mining.
In this project, 30 percent of the normal cement was replaced with these carbon-storing materials by Paebb, which also speed up a natural process called mineralization. In nature, minerals slowly react with carbon dioxide and lock it away in solid form. Paebbl’s technology makes this process happen faster, as the company says, so when carbon dioxide is added to Paebbl materials, it becomes trapped inside stable minerals. This means the carbon dioxide cannot escape back into the air. In this pedestrian bridge alone, the recycled concrete permanently stores 66 kilograms of CO₂, with each tonne of the material used able to store about 220 kilograms of carbon dioxide.
all images courtesy of Paebbl
charcoal from plant waste can help absorb carbon dioxide
The technology works quietly inside the pedestrian bridge made of recycled concrete and can store carbon dioxide. Once the concrete is poured and hardened, the carbon is locked in place for decades, or even centuries, making the structure carbon-neutral and suitable as a long-term carbon storage system. Another key part of the design is biochar, which was added by CarStorCon® Technologies.
It is a charcoal-like material made of plant waste and can help absorb carbon dioxide while they grow. When they turn into biochar, that carbon stays locked inside instead of returning to the atmosphere. By adding biochar to the concrete, the bridge stores even more carbon. Concrete is usually made using cement, sand, and gravel, which can create a lot of carbon emissions. With the pedestrian bridge made of recycled concrete, it does the opposite by storing carbon dioxide, contributing to a greener neighbohood over time.
Paebbl and Heijmans unveil the dubbed world’s first pedestrian bridge with CO₂-neutral concrete
the structure can capture and store carbon dioxide over time
detailed view of the bridge
for the project, recycled concrete replaced normal sand and gravel
project info:
name: Carbon-neutral pedestrian bridge
design: Heijmans, Paebbl | @heijmansnl, @paebbl
companies: HCM Cement, Van der Kamp B.V., CarStorCon® Technologies, Urban Mine
location: Rosmalen, Netherlands
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