Towards a low CO2 emission building material employing bacterial metabolism (2/2): Prospects for global warming potential reduction in the concrete industry

PLoS One. 2019 Apr 16;14(4):e0208643. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208643. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

The production of concrete is one of the most significant contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. This work focuses on bio-cementation-based products and their potential to reduce global warming potential (GWP). In particular, we address a proposed bio-cementation method employing bacterial metabolism in a two-step process of limestone dissolution and recrystallisation (BioZEment). A scenario-based techno-economic analysis (TEA) is combined with a life cycle assessment (LCA), a market model and a literature review of consumers' willingness to pay, to compute the expected reduction of global GWP. Based on the LCA, the GWP of 1 ton of BioZEment is found to be 70-83% lower than conventional concrete. In the TEA, three scenarios are investigated: brick, precast and onsite production. The results indicate that brick production may be the easiest way to implement the products, but that due to high cost, the impact on global GWP will be marginal. For precast production the expected 10% higher material cost of BioZEment only produces a marginal increase in total cost. Thus, precast production has the potential to reduce global GWP from concrete production by 0-20%. Significant technological hurdles remain before BioZEment-based products can be used in onsite construction scenarios, but in this scenario, the potential GWP reduction ranges from 1 to 26%. While the potential to reduce global GWP is substantial, significant efforts need to be made both in regard to public acceptance and production methods for this potential to be unlocked.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Calcium Carbonate / chemistry
  • Calcium Carbonate / economics
  • Carbon Dioxide / metabolism*
  • Construction Industry* / economics
  • Construction Industry* / methods
  • Construction Materials* / analysis
  • Construction Materials* / economics
  • Construction Materials* / microbiology
  • Crystallization
  • Global Warming*
  • Green Chemistry Technology / economics
  • Green Chemistry Technology / methods
  • Greenhouse Effect
  • Industrial Microbiology / economics
  • Industrial Microbiology / methods
  • Solubility

Substances

  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Calcium Carbonate

Grants and funding

Pure Logic AS and SINTEF Industry was associated with the project in the form of a consultancy contract. The respective roles were related to study design, analysis and manuscript preparation. SINTEF Industry also contributed on data collection. The funder provided support in the form of salaries for authors AM, AB, AW and CB. This work was also supported by the Research Council of Norway, project numbers 238849 and 269084.