The big problem with cement, and how to fix it

Concrete emits a ton of carbon. Here's how we get it to net-zero.
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Cement accounts for 8 percent of our global carbon emissions. It’s also an incredibly difficult material to do without: It’s the glue that holds together the rock, sand, and water in concrete. And concrete is the building block of the world: It’s in our buildings, our streets, our sidewalks, and our infrastructure. Aside from water, there’s no material on earth we use more of.
In order to get to net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, we’ll have to address how we build and how we make cement. Because cement production is so closely linked to urbanization and development, China accounts for a vast majority of today’s cement-related emissions. Other countries with more development in their future will need to emit more emissions to produce cement, too. All that means the whole world needs to figure out how to create cement without the emissions. This video goes into the steps developed by researchers for how to get there.
Note: The headline on this piece has been updated.
Previous headline: Why cement is so bad for the climate
Further reading:
Here is a link to the Nature article that we based our key visual on. Two of the co-authors, Paul Fennell and Chris Bataille, appear in the video:
www.nature.com/articles/d4158...
I interviewed Brian Potter, who wrote this great article on how much concrete we consume:
heatmap.news/economy/the-plan...
Hannah Ritchie from Our World in Data wrote a great Substack clarifying the data on China’s cement emissions:
hannahritchie.substack.com/p/...
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[@Vox]

Thanks for watching! We’ve covered a lot about climate change, and not all the news is bad. For more of the policy solutions and innovations that can help save our planet, watch more coverage in our playlist here: kzbin.info/aero/PLJ8cMiYb3G5dR1opfCsg8JmZSToyAWR5h

[@PA-eo7fs]

Total cement produced: From 2010 to 2020, the total cement production is 40 billion metric tons. Carbon created off of that: Using the emission factor of 1,370 pounds of CO2 per metric ton of cement (which is approximately 0.621422 metric tons of CO2 per metric ton of cement), the total CO2 emissions generated are 24.86 billion metric tons. Cost to capture and store: If it costs $10 per metric ton of CO2 to store, the total cost for storing 24.86 billion metric tons of CO2 would be: $10/tCO2 * 24,860,000,000 tCO2 = $248,600,000,000 So, the total cost to capture and store the CO2 emissions would be approximately $248.6 billion. Volume and comparison to the natural gas industry: If one metric ton of CO2 occupies 556.2 m³ of volume, the total volume of 24.86 billion metric tons of CO2 would be: 24,860,000,000 tCO2 * 556.2 m³/tCO2 = 13,823,972,000,000 m³ The total volume of CO2 emissions from cement production is approximately 13.82 trillion cubic meters. Natural Gas industry was 35 T cubic feet, so we can’t build an industry to store , CCS is not the answer , don’t spread misinformation , Read the IEA IRENA government reports, please hire consultants you’re teaching the youth (I’m only 25 btw)

[@mohdazan4948]

Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia : 💀

[@TvGunslingeRvT]

Climate change is not real. It's natural condition so let it go let's live a life.

[@RPRsChannel]

*_Here's the solution to crumbling towers:_* *_SEA WATER._* *_Add sea water to the mix and it will harden for all eternity._* *_It's what the Greeks and Romans used._*

[@nickbovee4372]

Why was my comment removed? Which covered the fact that concrete (limestone based) releases CO2 when it is made fluid during production, but subsequently takes back up that CO2 as the concrete solidifies. That is something that I have need seen being accounted for by this video.

[@sigurd154]

I have worked a lot in this industry and can say that this video is very correct, they included pretty much everything in modern cement industry carbon reduction. However it should be mentioned that there is also a large natural difference in cement produced in different countries due to different properties in local materials. Also the "just use wood" is mostly marketing/lobbying from the wood industry. If we used as much wood as we did cement there would be no forests in just a few decades.

[@Salted_Potato]

Good point about the wood

[@user-ie4tt1xp7j]

C'mon, dude, we can plant a giant amount of trees.

[@sigurd154]

@@user-ie4tt1xp7j it takes 20 to 30 years to grow a tree to full size. So no we cant "just" plant new forests. This doesnt even account for the huge ecosystem damage it would do.

[@jakehix8132]

@@Essentially_NobodyEvery part of the process is getting stronger for bioengineering better trees that grow faster and bigger. From selective breeding the seeds of the best, to university research like the Michigan Technological University poplar tree... trees are still in this race.

[@ling636]

To the ones that are saying “we can just plant more!” We would still be destroying ecosystems in these forests. We can always plant more, very hard to recreate a ecosystem

[@ordaineddoodle4970]

I finally know why cement trucks are not called concrete trucks!

[@bapak321bapak]

Really? Do u have any concrete evidence?

[@daniellong3067]

@@fanOfMinecraft-UAs_channel They are generally called aggregates which has size ranges from silt and sand to pebbles and boulders.

[@zagrosqazy3798]

​@@bapak321bapak 😂😂🤣

[@NoNameAtAll2]

...why?

[@johndawson6057]

@@bapak321bapak lol nice

[@cgRui34]

Another issue with cement/concrete is that it tends to trap heat and slowly release it back to the surroundings even at night, which contributes to higher ambient temperatures in urban environments. This contributes to what is known as the "Urban Heat Island" effect.

[@toyuyn]

arguably a good thing for cities in colder climates, but bad for cities in warmer climates which would subsequently have to rely on more air conditioning, further increasing the ambient temperature

[@vishalgiraddi5357]

They also don't hear up very quickly So, buildings, during the day don't have to use that much sir conditioning

[@NextNate03]

Asphalt not that great either. It absorbs the sunlight better because it is black. Some cities are experimenting with painting (?) some of their roads with a lighter color to help with the heat island effect. So far it working, it doesn't drop the temperatures not very much, it adds up. If They also plant low water and/or drought resistant tree and/or plants, that also helps with the heat island effect. Extra: Would Solar panels would also make heat island effect even worse?

[@haikalmiftah2529]

As a person living in tropical climate, I could agree, when most of house here use clay brick hold with cement. The heat inside the house during daylight is "little unbearable" unless you use a fan.

[@haikalmiftah2529]

@@elfrjz I did. And yes, nice cold.

[@TheBoyer19]

I believe all these companies and countries that are saying net zero by 2030 are going to keep pushing that date further and further into the future

[@Bahamuttiamat]

Because it's impossible. We CANNOT under any reasonable circumstance achieve net carbon zero without killing several billion people.

[@person8064]

Where have you heard net zero by 2030? They've made 'pledges' by 2060, which they'll likely still not make

[@TheBoyer19]

@@person8064 Australia is pledging net zero by 2030

[@pasta-and-heroin]

@@TheBoyer19 if we make the mistake of allowing the ALP back in for even one term, I have absolutely no faith that we will make that target. Even with Labor pulling off an extended period of power im not sure they are willing to keep mining & manufacturing companies in check.

[@snow9209]

​@@pasta-and-heroini dont believe the liberals are even better. It's currently better than the previous liberal government but not doing enough suffice to say.

[@umutcakmak3221]

Thank you for pointing out the importance of correct cement use in earthquakes, we suffered from that a lot in Turkey

[@senorelroboto2]

​@elfrjzI don't have any love for Erdogan, but how old were the buildings that collapsed?

[@Koksn_Todorov]

@elfrjz I've heard the boom in construction started with his rule, and he issued amnesty on many buildings that were not in accordance with safety standarts. He says he'll rebuild the most affected cities, but i dont see a point in building in the earthquake faults and red zones (there's a very concrete map). Why should they risk again, just help accomodate and relocate people to other regions that are safe...

[@jonathanodude6660]

@@Koksn_Todorov no one says that about japan. their buildings dont fall down, even during much stronger earthquakes. there is no issue building in earthquake prone areas. the only risk to people is buildings falling down. make the buildings safe, and that wont happen.

[@kemalcivelek9447]

There is 2 problems with that: 1. Cities can be built safely in earthquake zones so building safe buildings is far more sensible than replaceing the entire population. 2. Entirety of Turkey is high-risk earthquake zone. There is simply nowhere to relocate.​@@Koksn_Todorov

[@kevinl4837]

This video seems to be released in tandem with Veritasium's video about cement. I'd like to think that these two videos explain two sides of the same story. Veritasium explaining the amazingness of concrete and how good it is, and this video explaining the side effects that we are experiencing due to our reliance on it. Overall, both are a good watch. Never just trust one source after all.

[@AbCd-jl9jq]

Veritasium >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[@scottmcfarlane7524]

Nah Vox jacks content look it up huge story on youtube

[@genybr]

but hey, this video just says "your car CO2 savings is futile". IOn the other hand, what if raise temp way more and take denser and moist atmosphere? On the bad side - Canada will be warmer, on the worst side - alot of deserts disappear.

[@andrejbartulin]

Veritasium was just talking about chemistry behind cement and where we use it. He said that cement is amazing (which is true), but his video is never meant for talking is cement good or bad. And he said something about carbon released in atmosphere.

[@ianthehunter3532]

@@andrejbartulin Yeah he just mentioned it, nothing much, I mean it wasn't really the point of his video to begin with.

[@thamiordragonheart8682]

One big thing that wasn't mentioned is using concrete with high-tech additives like a small fraction of chopped glass or plastic fibers and even graphene to make it much stronger so you need less concrete and steel to make the same structure. There are other advanced techniques like foamed concrete that can reduce the weight, especially for floors where bending strength is the most important factor. As for fueling the cement-making process, I feel like there are a few net-zero options that should have been mentioned. The obvious one is green hydrogen, which can clearly reach the required temperatures without carbon emissions. As for electrification, electric arc furnaces like the ones used in steelmaking can easily reach the required temperatures, so it's not necessarily easy, but it's a solved problem. The other thing I wonder is why they wouldn't mention biomass to heat the kiln, since fly ash can replace some of the cement and you can get usable fly ash on site from biomass once everyone stops burning coal, which is the current source.

[@crazydrifter13]

Informative comment. Thanks for taking the time to write it

[@homashu]

I've worked with graphene from different companies in cement and I'm not convinced it is not a scam

[@magnetotwister]

Thanks for that note, but isn’t biomass of worse carbon quality than coal or other fossil fuels? Maybe this is just semantics, but curious of your opinion

[@gimmethegepgun]

@@magnetotwister Biomass may release more carbon than fossil fuels, but the emissions consist of carbon that was already in the carbon cycle. The carbon in that biomass got there, one way or another, by biological processes that removed it from the atmosphere, and will, one way or another, make its way back into the atmosphere by some kind of decomposition, including burning. Whereas carbon from fossil fuels (and, incidentally, the limestone used in cement production) is not in the cycle, having been removed from the cycle long ago, and burning it reintroduces it.

[@rzpogi]

Biomass is less efficient than coal or natural gas though.

[@lokso.7082]

Thanks for using the metric system and Celsius. So all the world can understand it.

[@beevee24]

When will the USA finally realize that the metric system is he best system!

[@brian2440]

@@beevee24never. They recognize it’s a better system but the sheer amount of changes that would need to happen to make the conversion makes it impractical to switch

[@dougwoolery998]

As a final year Civil Engineering student I loved this episode😌

[@BG-ej5fy]

I’m a civil engineer and living in the Caribbean is very difficult to build without concrete with the amount of hurricanes We receive and with time those forces are getting stronger. Steel construction here could be done but it’s maintenance is expensive do to all the exposure to the sea. There are lots of places you can build without concrete but not the caribbean for now

[@manuelmendescorreia2075]

Recycled concrete could also be added to the equation.

[@lupus7297]

unfourtunetely it doesn't significantly reduce emitted co2, as fresh cement has to be used no matter if recycled concrete or not

[@manjensen1710]

Germany already does that, they have several concrete recycling facilities.

[@Prophes0r]

"Recycled concrete" is just a cheaper filler. It still uses cement, which requires the same chemical process to create, and that chemical process itself slices a CO2 off of the molecule. There is no CO2 savings.

[@cyan_oxy6734]

​@@Prophes0r And other CO2 molecules from the atmosphere will recombine with the cement to make concrete. As long the concrete is heated with renewable energy sources it's net 0

[@Prophes0r]

@@cyan_oxy6734 Not exactly. Carbonization won't be complete. Not in a reasonable time-scale at least. We don't care if the concrete will EVENTUALLY fully carbonize in 1000 years. That is why there is research into mixing liquid CO2 directly into concrete as it's poured. Also, your argument would make EXACTLY the same statement about new cement. The only savings would be the transportation/mining of new rock. I'm not claiming recycled concrete is BAD. I'm pointing out that the people championing it either don't understand WHY it is "better", or they are just using marketing to lie to people. Recycled concrete is going to be nearly identical in environmental impact.

[@BerSeben0502]

This video is why I love Vox. You guys make great videos and articles by asking questions we probably would never ask ourselves. Then you introduce the topic well and build on it perfectly. I always learn something new here.

[@mint_1018]

Another thing we have to be weary of when making concrete is sand. The world is starting to run out of the type of sand used in concrete and we should probably start looking for alternatives.

[@ckhpersonal670]

sahara sand

[@707_Jesse]

​@C KH / Personal desert sand is too round and has no edges due to being weathered so you can't use it for making concrete

[@s_ame1135]

source?

[@707_Jesse]

@s_ame1135 I'm a civil engineer so I have to know alot about cement and its necessary components, you can search up on KZbin or wiki you will be entertained for sure.

[@s_ame1135]

@@707_Jesse Congrats for being a Civil Engineer but I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to OP asking for a peer-reviewed journal of masonry sand running out.

[@toyuyn]

Despite the carbon emissions of concrete, would high-density housing in concrete skyscrapers be better than low-density urban sprawl? Considering the costs of building and maintaining roads and utilities, and the costs of transportation (public/private), maybe a single concrete apartment is better than an equivalent number of wooden houses just by the fact that everything is much closer together.

[@user-ie4tt1xp7j]

It depends on many factors, but, in general, high-rise and mid-rise are better, than urban sprawl.

[@HeadsFullOfEyeballs]

This, plus single-family homes in most countries are built of concrete and brick anyway, not wood.

[@person8064]

Don't get it in your head that skyscrapers are good though. Unless there's literally no space to expand, buildings don't need more than 10 stories. Buildings like the Village House are extremely efficient and eco-friendly

[@TheWaluigiman1]

You have to consider where you are putting these high rises. People live in all sorts of places, plenty far away from each others and would rather stay there then be forced to live close to each other.

[@chrisbeaudoin9818]

​@@person8064 flawed logic. Urban sprawl is VERY bad for the environment. Where I live they keep building outwards cause they are using the same flawed logic as you. Cities need to build up, not out.

[@loune3799]

As a civil engineer (in training/EIT) a couple of things stood out as suss to me in this video. First, the claim of overuse of cement/concrete in infrastructure projects.. the amount of cement used for a project directly correlates to the cost of a project- more concrete more cost. Clients want the cheapest they can get, and us delivering a lower cost makes us look good and can get us more money. So the claim that we use more cement than needed is odd to me- I’d say we use just enough to make things “safe”, and even then contractors or designers may cut corners to reduce cost and that results in catastrophic failures and lots of death time and time again. Second, you mention the need for cement manufacturing to recoup energy, like heat waste. But in my experience working on power plant and manufacturing plants, they often already do. For example, waste heat is often used to power turbines which can power the plant itself. This is a cost saving measure, the companies are already incentivized to reuse that heat. You interview many experts in this video, but mot once did you interview a cement manufacturer on their excess waste/heat measures put in place, instead you just claim they need to do it.

[@rizaldialhazmi4771]

Yeah, I found out that this video is lacking the holistic view

[@danbruder]

As a watcher of this video, a couple of things stood out as suss to me in this comment. First, she doesn't suggest cutting *unnecessary components* in projects, which would indeed save costs. She suggests using *alternative materials* for components where concrete is not necessary for its compressive strength. They give the example of the new parliament building in Scotland. I.e. the substitutes are not always cheaper, but emit fewer greenhouse gases in their production. Second, she did not claim that concrete plants are not recouping energy from waste heat. She mentioned that capturing and storing the emitted carbon dioxide is in its infancy. She also mentioned that some concrete plants are now burning alternative fuels (like trash) to generate the heat. Basically, companies do what is cost-efficient and effective. They'll use less energy and material if it saves them money. If an alternative material costs more but emits less carbon, they won't use it unless they have a financial incentive to do so, like earning tax credits (carrot, the current trend) or avoiding a tax on the emissions (stick, less popular politically). That's the nature of business and society.

[@georgeanto203]

Συγχαρητήρια Χριστίνα χάρηκα που είδα Ελληνίδα στο vox και για αυτό προφανώς ευθύνεται η ποιοτητα της δουλειάς σου. Για άτομα σαν εσενα θα έπρεπε να υπερηφανευόμαστε 👌

[@arisarsenkashari5308]

@Zaydan Alfariz copy paste it into good translate

[@abdul-qf2fe]

Another dream that probably will never come true 😎

[@ronalddelrosario5504]

Thank you for this kind of videos. We know that there are a lot more things wasn't discussed here due to time constraint, but the idea was captured, to introduce the possibility that it can be lessen. Good video overall. 👌

[@jedim793]

Thank you for discussing this very important topic but I wish you mentioned the devastating local environmental effects of sand mines and how our world (believe it or not) is quickly running out of viable sand

[@chimpbro1301]

Sand mines are not finishing soon, 100 000 years at least

[@idrisb07]

Carbon capture is really meant for these hard-to-decarbonise industries

[@jeffmonterde]

Hi there! I just stumbled upon your KZbin channel and I have to say, I'm really impressed! Your content is so engaging and informative, and I can tell you put a lot of effort into creating each video. I especially love how you approach your topics with a fresh perspective and always manage to bring something new to the table. Your channel is definitely one of my new favorites, and I can't wait to see what you come up with next. Keep up the amazing work

[@alexh2797]

Bro it’s a company channel, not hers

[@SilBu3n0]

Very nice video, and also technically careful! Congrats and keep going!

[@arianakluyverrodriguez5439]

Absolutely fire video, with good sources, balanced approaches. Nice one team Vox!

[@abhinavayancha1346]

Carbon capture is such a weird technology. It barely seems to work in real life, but on paper is a good idea. As well it seems a like a bandaid solution for a mass trauma situation, more can be done by just planting trees to recapture carbon( u could also technically do this with cement although I wouldn’t rlly know how to). Overall tho cool to say our people(humans) innovate and find different ways to make our plant a better world.

[@GTAVictor9128]

Reject ecomodernism, embrace ecosocialism and degrowth.

[@person8064]

​@@GTAVictor9128 solarpunk is also one way we could change

[@lordofthepies]

@@person8064 I won't lie, I honestly have no clue what solarpunk people are genuinely scientifically championing.

[@abhinavayancha1346]

@@GTAVictor9128 If it ain’t broke y fix it. We can develop it to work better but it’s not as profitable as trees and not as easy to manage as trees.

[@person8064]

@@lordofthepies Scientifically? Not much. Solarpunk emphasizes a return from humans dominating nature with machines to humans being nature's caretaker and gardener. It doesn't require any major scientific changes, more of a major cultural and political shift.

[@rachelcookie321]

When she said the concrete contained cement that was the first time I realised they were different things. I didn’t even comprehend they were separate words before.

[@newyorkpotioncastle]

Very educational thank you for the insight

[@willyjones8907]

Great video. I'd like to hear about envoromental issues and benifits with wood in general building!

[@moonlitnomad4017]

Hi there! I am a graduate architecture student and we are currently studying Hempcrete. I think it would be wonderful for you guys to cover this topic on a sustainable substitute! Our class would gladly share all of our research and experiments with you all at Vox!

[@Decay19XX]

@@Dino2GunZ True

Hempcrete is not load bearing

[@moonlitnomad4017]

@ i’m not talking about using it as a structural substitute

[@moonlitnomad4017]

@ it’s primarily substituting the plastics we use for insulation

[@tomasbeltran04050]

​@@moonlitnomad4017 could you provide more detail?

[@nikujaga_oishii]

the issue with replacement material is that its effectiveness as building material varies a lot depending on the environment using wood and glass more than just decorations in places where it's hot and humid can cause a lot of headaches about maintenance as well as lifecycle emission

[@ramitbudhiraja5750]

😊😊😊,,,,,,,,

[@FirstLast-fb7kk]

Amazing informational video with serious potential.

[@AngelaSealana]

Excellent explanation

[@sebsal1242]

Wow, the staff at Vox make the best, most informative, easy to understand, engaging, and visually impeccable videos. Great job and please keep it up. Even more: schools, get your students to watch them. They'll learn AND want to solve problems!

[@Pyxlean]

The biggest problem here is that Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) doesn't work. CCS always has missed its target. I hope CCS can be improved and actually work but relying on it right now will not work.

[@paulfennell2646]

Nothing works until it works. That's why we need to prove it.

[@nathanngumi8467]

Very insightful!

[@alxomana]

beautiful stated! thanks!!

[@ekbergiw]

As concrete sets it absorbs the 60% carbon portion, you referred to, that was lost in the quicklime manufacturing process. This strengthens the concrete gradually over the course of a month and more. Also, clinker is a hard baked mix of lime stone and clay/ash the heat is the issue that is the primary source of carbon. There are alternatives to concrete, which are sometimes called geopolymers.

[@leopoldlaurenzstrobl7438]

I was about to mention this also. It takes a very long time though. Many decades ... So one solution is to design structures well, and keep them standing for as long as possible.

[@paulfennell2646]

@@leopoldlaurenzstrobl7438 Over the lifetime, it takes up at most 20 % of the emissions; the rate is just too slow (it depends on t^0.5, so gets slower as a function of time).

[@martinrafaello9797]

its a shame they did not talk about this

[@regularlyirregular8876]

It's a super selfish reason but I must say I love living in a concrete building simply because I don't hear my neighbors, all of the wood-framed apartments I've lived in made it possible to hear every little footstep from above or every cabinet close next-door. As someone who often works from home, I enjoy the silence in my concrete building and I'd be reluctant to give it up. Hopefully they can find a way to make buildings with new materials that can also keep things quiet for its residents.

[@adrianleander4045]

So interesting, thank you for the great content

[@vetlehoug9953]

Good video, and thanks for mentioning our carbon capture project at Heidelberg Materials in Brevik, Norway. We aim to be operating by the end of next year and plan to capture 400,000 tons per year. That will really lower the footprint of concrete mixed with our cement.

[@nitfumble]

Veritasium put out an interesting video last week explaining cement!

[@matthewmendoza9917]

I'm an EIT at a Carbon capture company running a pilot with Lafarge Holcim. It's great to hear there is support for point source capture like in the case of cement. It's a lot more effective than direct air capture especially when considering industries required for modern society. The tech is there but companies, especially in Canada, don't have the funding to scale up capture plants like the initiatives in the States. Glad to see the processes I've been learning about are trying to be implemented globally

[@FlashFocused]

This is fascinating

[@drdonalfons]

I loved this video, BUT: Please don't keep repeating that the goal is to achieve zero emissions. That is an impossible standard. According to the IPCC, our planet removes 50% of the yearly emitted greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere (via forests, oceans, ...). But really, this was a very informative piece. I learned a lot. Thank you for your great work.

[@LFTRnow]

There is another low-hanging fruit that could get you there - nuclear. The typical (CANDU/LWR) reactors run at about 300C but there are plenty of designs that come close to 1000C. That won't get you the 1450C mentioned, but the 850C is quite doable with high-temperature reactors such as the HTGR. The rest of the savings could come from using different materials that need lower temperatures and/or having the reactor also generate electricity and/or hydrogen (from water) which could be burned as a fuel on-site to get the rest of the heat, eliminating the need for fossil input altogether.

[@PreetZanwar]

Is it just a coincidence that this video came out just after veritasium posted a video on cement

[@angelitabecerra]

Aye. Videos like these (and Veritasium's) all take time to research, film, produce, edit, etc. What almost certainly happened is both of them saw an article about cement around the same time and decided to make a video about cement independently

[@kalfunai]

आई लाइक दिस वान

[@nanymashiprak1738]

thank you vox for all the interesting videos

[@landonfrigault8096]

Finally the need for CCS is becoming main stream!! CCS and DACS has been known to be essential since 2018 or before from the IPCC report. Glad you guys are finally catching on

[@astroch]

Meanwhile, veritasium : look im being buried in concrete 🥳

[@crabjunie]

if only we can harness the power of diatoms for construction, the world would be a much, much better place

[@CausticLemons7]

Cement is amazing and I hope we find clean, effective alternatives or ways to improve existing materials.

[@combinedprecontemporaryideas]

very Informative 👍

[@ShySnailYT]

You're only considering CO2 released during the production of the cement. There is a whole lot of carbon emission before and after - transportation, construction, machinery, maintenance, demolition and finally the end of life. The whole lifecycle is much bigger. That's part of the problem with carbon calculation which leads to an incomplete understanding of the challenges. It should be explicitly mentioned while showing the figures, which part of the lifecycle is considered.

[@Bahamuttiamat]

Question, why is c02 such a bad thing? Don't plants use said compound? Why is it that all of sudden c02 is enemy number one? Especially when we know at 0.2% c02 concentration, all plant life dies. We've hovering around 0.4%

[@potatomatop9326]

All skyscrapers and houses must be made out of pizza from now on...

[@hbrace5636]

I second this

[@evolassunglasses4673]

We must never have real progress. Pizza can lift billions out of poverty.

[@yourpapichulo8859]

I will pay my first 10k for this

[@datajunkie3382]

Doughnt be silly

[@TypicFillipovic]

Hi, how did you calculate the carbon emissions for 6000t cement skyscraper? which variables were incorporated (building or just production of cememnt etc)

[@simateimourianmotlagh2023]

Thanks for sharing this valuable video. I would be thankful if you tell me if you have any resources or information about creating REM model(Relative surface model) for Cement.? Thanks

[@shepuchibhaji]

isn't wood expensive than cement?

[@yourpapichulo8859]

Imagine the fire 😂

[@batman_2004]

Yes

[@thamiordragonheart8682]

@@yourpapichulo8859 high-quality mass timber is actually just as if not more fire resistant than steel and concrete depending on the exact conditions because the char layer insulates thick beams really well in a fire.

[@yourpapichulo8859]

@@thamiordragonheart8682 never gonna happen

[@thamiordragonheart8682]

@Zaydan Alfariz I didn't mean to imply it was economical (because I know it's not) or environmentally friendly (it often isn't), just that contrary to popular belief, fire isn't a problem for mass timber.

[@will-o-the-wisp-witch]

Not even a mention to how we're running out of viable sand to make concrete? I suppose that ought to be its own video.

[@edwardbrown3721]

That's not actually a problem, brick, stone and even old concrete can be ground down into usable arids

[@magnetotwister]

@@edwardbrown3721 I believe it’s a greater problem than you think. Ideally it isn’t a problem because of your reasons mentioned, but corrupt companies in India have been well documented to be stripping sand from many rural areas, further eroding river banks and such

[@edwardbrown3721]

@@magnetotwister that's a problem but it's not the same problem I was talking about, those companies should be fined

[@jonathandennis2226]

Best video in a long time

[@paulopara5261]

This video, it's very important for the people.

[@ReallySolid]

Let's talk about battery power cars next 🤓

[@Mark-te5bf]

Well they still pollute in different ways Where does electricity come from?

[@FlukeTog]

Worse for the environment maybe?, hard to repair yourself, more dangerous. You can’t even hear them coming. Ban everything.

[@holokyttaja5476]

​​@@Mark-te5bf Electricity can be produced using renewable energy like wind, water or solar. Fossil fuels can not be be produced or consumed renewably in any scenario.

[@Lucas-po6mn]

@@Mark-te5bf energy is carbon neutral in different areas of the world, here in quebec we produce all our energy with hydro, in scotland they produce all of it with wind, in the future, electric cars could be carbon neutral everywhere

[@Mark-te5bf]

enjoy having the cost of energy skyrocket because there isn't enough space for solar panels, there isn't any more wind, and not enough space for hydroelectric dams. Don't forget, you need power to run factories to make solar panels.

[@Leftistattheparty]

I know that Hempcrete is a thing that could be looked at as an alternative.

[@star_gem6069]

I really wished they would've talked about it :/

[@brian2440]

@@star_gem6069it’s not a load bearing material, so I’m about 90% of total volume applications you can’t use it. Maybe for some sidewalks, but you can’t use it for curbs. You can use it for free standing walls. You can use it as a veneer structure to absorb CO2. But the grand majority of concrete placed is for load bearing applications because that’s what the material is designed for

[@AhmedMalik814]

Wonderful!!

[@d.b.4671]

What if that 30-story building became three 10-story buildings? How would that affect the amount of concrete used, positively or negatively? (I realize that's not an option everywhere, but for the places where it is I think it's a question worth asking.)

[@HardcorePanda]

Be like Superpower India and adopt open defecation. no need cement for toilets.

[@kapilchhabria1727]

Carbon capture is prohibitively expensive. It is simply a lot easier to compensate with reforestation and ocean seeding to promote coral growth.

[@khurramkhurshed9427]

Interesting information 🤔

[@andreaverone9377]

"Lastly, cement industries will have to implement carbon capture & storage". No. The STATE must declare a law to force these industries to do it. Otherwise they won't do jack$hit just like they always did.

[@IdealConscience]

Exactly. The libertarian delusion that markets self regulate is absurd.

[@jeffreychen5130]

If it’s a reasonable solution small pressure should be able to convince people to come around. If gov needs to force it it’s probably not a great solution to start with

[@IdealConscience]

@@jeffreychen5130 how does s person make even one other person who is a stranger commit to a group to make sure they won't just murder them all? There inherently is a group mentality that you have to obey unless you will be penalized. What makes a society a society is a group of people who agree to obey an authority to make decisions for them all... else punishment be made against a non-participant. Punishment of money, lack of certification (outcasted), or imprisonment. What you're against, tHaT gOvErNmEnTs hAvE tO uSe fOrCe, is what is known as a requirement for S O C I E T Y to even exist.

[@jeffreychen5130]

@@IdealConscience no u missed the point, sometimes the govt can make bad decisions under pressure and they are not actually the best solution. if u force concrete companies to do smth sure they will, but it willnt be the best solution and its possible it may not be a solution at all. until science can come up with a way to make alternatives more competitive in the market i think the only route u can take is incentives to switch, u cannot mandate that everyone transition to a subpar solution

[@angelitabecerra]

I'm a little surprised Roman Concrete wasn't mentioned 🤔 Scientists recently figured out what was so special about ancient Roman concrete compared to our own ans unlocked its recipe. It's self renewing. Now, Roman concrete won't do us any good in buildings, but for sidewalks and roads, it'll fix cracks in itself on a continuous basis. It's definitely not a 0 carbon emissions process. But the making if it emits less carbon, and with it being self renewing, it can help tide us over until we solve our concrete problem

[@iyadhussein8517]

Love ur vids

[@kattasaisubhash252]

isnt geo polymer concrete a better idea for replacing opc concrete? in order to avoid cement completely?

[@apoc5000]

We must make sidewalks using recycled bottles and old shoes

[@christuffer]

And buildings out of used baked bean cans.

[@djpalmer31]

@@christuffer probably already are. Considering steel is fully recyclable there is a strong chance that the steel in many new builds already includes recycled steel from all sources.

[@shrek8636]

shrek.

[@hamsterville]

There are other ways to build too that's already tested and approved. Hempcrete is one of them and we can use that quite easily anywhere as hemp is cheap and quick to grow.

[@arch3ddraftsman]

Awesome!

[@CanizalesMusic]

We should just use legos😂

[@relevantinformation6655]

Lol… I’m sure the plastic in legos is somehow bad for the environment. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@senorelroboto2]

​@@relevantinformation6655well, plastics are a byproduct of fossil fuel production

[@relevantinformation6655]

@@senorelroboto2 ya just can’t win... In the words of musician Joe Jackson “Everything gives you cancer…”

[@senorelroboto2]

@@relevantinformation6655 yeah, you just hope it's something like squamous cell cancer and not pancreatic.

[@praetorxak5361]

There are a lot of buildings (due to code) where you literally can't design it using wood. There are also a lot of safety things being pushed that require me to design using near 10x the amount of concrete than the structure needs on a day to day basis. I understand there is an importance in saving lives during major storm events, but at what point is it overkill.

[@magnetotwister]

A few advantages of concrete over wood: -reduced flammability -greater manipulation for more complex designs -uniform & predictable strength properties (wood grains are unidirectional) -higher buildings for more people -modularity I think is easier with concrete, but I could be wrong with that. Just thinking of lego bricks Wood can actually be used in some high rises, there are treatments for wood to allow it to be inflammable up to a degree

[@faustinpippin9208]

@@magnetotwister and also: -reduced noise -reduced vibrations -its a great heatsink (cooler during the day/warmer during the night=small AC/heating bills

[@cloudkitt]

and how much wood do we have to use to start being worse than concrete due to deforestation?

[@CIS101]

Good video. Good channel.

[@aye3678]

Very interesting.

[@evolassunglasses4673]

Return to mud huts.

[@Prophes0r]

"...causes Limestone to release it's stored Carbon Dioxide." This statement implies something completely different than what is actually going on. Limestone isn't STORING CO2. The CO2 is part of the molecule's structure, like Oxygen is part of a water molecule. The CO2 isn't just in there ALONG with other stuff. It is PART of the limestone. Making cement is chemistry. We are breaking apart the limestone molecules into something else. And one of those parts we are breaking off is a CO2.

[@AJ-fj9rt]

In my country saudi. Production of green concrete is considered a new industry. The government have been pushing the development of green concrete by investment and regulations. We are mostly focusing on using supplementary cementitious materials like the ones mentioned in the video. The video actually provides real solutions to this problem that are either being implemented or studied.

[@litkeys3497]

Hopefully recent breakthroughs on the Roman Concrete recipe will slow down consumption rates since it lasts so much longer

[@meatballs06]

As a slab of cement, I apologize for my inconvenience I've caused

[@lupus7297]

Replacing concrete with structural stone is also a solution with high potential, after all it is the aggregate glued together by cement that gives concrete it's strength. It is however compared to concrete much more sustainable, stone is abundant and it's extraction is already done using electric tools. Using the technology of post tensioning high spans of up to 20m can be archieved with slender profiles. For example basalt has a compressive stength 5x stronger than even the best concrete.

[@aathaath]

How about we carve out INSIDE the big stones and use the space? And we can call it…cave?

[@Kavaitsu]

Great great video!

[@glenne5724]

Well this was easy to say. And the things been said will take more than 5-6 decades to change for sure. It’s not easy to change from cement to another source of binding material until it’ll be viable and will cost same as cement.

[@cliffordmace9197]

I also love how the cost of the building is going to almost double if not more!

[@BcuzAndy]

The cost of the concrete would double, which they mention is a minor cost compared to everything else that goes into a building like that.

[@BcuzAndy]

@@elfrjz Got some stats to back up your random claim of the difference between luxury condos and public housing? In either situation I'm pretty sure labor and finishing costs vastly outstrips the material cost of cement.

[@paulfennell2646]

@Zaydan Alfariz the cost of CEMENT is not the same as the cost of concrete blocks. The cost of the materials is tiny in comparison to the cost of a building.

[@paulfennell2646]

@Zaydan Alfariz the recent shortage of cement? You realise that the cement market is massively oversupplied? Possibly there were temporary issues with the supply chain.

[@sickboi261]

Thank you Vox for using Celsius. The world doesn't revolve around USA

[@senorelroboto2]

No, it revolves around London though. Specifically Greenwich

[@falsificationism]

Hempcrete. But we need to scale and institutionalize the machinery and production (e.g., decorticators, shipping, growing, etc.). It can be WAY cheaper and carbon negative, but not without the infrastructure.

[@arthurtorin8776]

6:45 "the cost of concrete is a very small fraction of the build" Ok well now im questioning all the dainty littlw info graphs you zoomed around

[@almerammar8601]

trying to fix a problem without seeing its root (profit incentive economy) is just the same as blaming the fire but forgetting who torched them

[@arothmanmusic]

And, if I'm not mistaken, cement also requires a crapton of sand that is dwindling pretty quickly.

[@lugi25]

Sand is dwindling quickly? What about all the deserts, or is it only sand from beaches?

[@fabian7977]

Please do a video were you talk about aviation industry emissions. There are also some interesting solutions to solve the problem of carbon.

[@lucassanchez5560]

I love every part of this video!! Only If all human made problems could be diagnosed this way and be completely implemented in the world. Humans might stand a chance to keeping the planet habitable for all.

[@alicehargest]

Brutalism fans are so sad rn

[@alicehargest]

@Zaydan Alfariz excellent pun 💕

[@map3033]

While cement production does contribute to CO2 emissions, concrete, its primary end-product, offers multiple benefits to humanity. Concrete's durability and low maintenance make it a cost-effective and resilient building material, essential for modern infrastructure. Furthermore, advances in cement technology, such as carbon capture and utilization, can mitigate its environmental impact. Ultimately, the advantages of concrete in constructing long-lasting and energy-efficient structures should not be overshadowed by the emissions associated with cement production.

[@HeadsFullOfEyeballs]

Why is this comment phrased like a concrete industry press release?

[@BcuzAndy]

No one is saying that cement isn't great for what it does or that we need to completely replace it. This is a discussion about how we need to change it BECAUSE it is so necessary.

[@map3033]

@@HeadsFullOfEyeballs yeah..sure it is!

[@princejaiswal6487]

Nice one

[@dylanstudor6074]

I'm surprised there was no mention of hempcrete in this video. Any reason why not?

[@MagmaMac]

We definitely need to do better at curbing emissions. Let's hope that the concrete industry can get it together to reduce emissions.

[@apoc5000]

We gotta ban buildings

[@evolassunglasses4673]

This is hysteria.

[@evolassunglasses4673]

@Zaydan Alfariz China is just going to under cut the West.