It’s time to build structures that rival the fortitude of Roman architecture while playing a vital role in the sustainability of our planet. The Art and Science of Building will be a large part of the solution in the war on climate change – we are excited that so many large owners are searching for innovations to address this across construction materials. As at least 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the creation of cement and concrete, finding new and future-focused technologies in construction is especially critical.
Global warming is one of the biggest threats to our Earth. Since the building industry is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, leaders are focusing attention on advanced chemical engineering, bio-science, and the implementation of greener methodologies. Our team at Clayco is committed to sustainable development across our national operations. We are collaborating with visionary organizations to design a healthier planet via innovative tech and building approaches.
At the Chicago Architecture Biennial opening, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) showcased an algae-based, concrete alternative that our Clayco team helped bring to life at The Mews in Fulton Market. Developed in partnership with Prometheus Materials, Bio-Block Spiral offers a model for carbon-neutral construction. By replacing the concrete blocks with Bio-Blocks, the Spiral reduces carbon emissions by one metric ton, supporting Prometheus on its mission to accelerate the world’s transition to a carbon-negative future.
Bio-Blocks are the building blocks of tomorrow – and I was able to witness their potential again in person when our Clayco team visited the Prometheus office earlier this week. Co-founder Loren Burnett showed us that micro-algae low-carbon concrete technology is very promising, as it enables a clearer pathway to track, reduce, and eventually eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. Prometheus Materials was founded in 2021 and is on a mission to develop zero-carbon bio-concrete, which is currently in production.
Our Clayco team is proud to have a hand in such groundbreaking endeavors – but our efforts don’t stop there. Clayco is committed to a variety of climate-based initiatives, including the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Net-Zero Standard, the world’s first framework for corporate net-zero target setting in line with climate science.
Throughout my decades-long construction career, I have made it a priority to implement stringent safety measures to ensure the well-being of my national teams and the neighborhoods where we operate. Discovering new ways to build safely and coinciding with climate change goals is no different. We must work together to build communities that allow the residents and environment to thrive.
