Neustark removes CO₂ from the atmosphere by capturing and storing it in concrete permanently. At the same time, this cuts new emissions by reducing the use of cement.

Currently, 9 people form the team of the company, and it is expected to grow in the following years.

7% of all global greenhouse gas emissions originate from the production of cement. Concrete is in higher demand than ever as a building material - and is at the same time one of the biggest climate killers.

Every year, global cement production causes around 2.5 billion tons of CO₂ emissions - which is roughly twice as much as the entire global air traffic produces.

The use of recycled concrete as a carbon dioxide reservoir is one of the most promising technologies in the field of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Providers such as the Swiss startup Neustark are already enabling significant improvements in the carbon footprint of new buildings.

In 2020 the company pioneered the market with their modular plants, enabling producers to capture CO₂ in concrete. CO₂ is removed from the air, and carbon dioxide levels in the atmoshpere are thereby reduced. About 10kg of the captured CO₂ are permanently stored in each cubic meter of concrete.

As of today, the recycled and CO₂-enriched concrete granulate treated with Neustark improves the climate balance of fresh concrete by about 10%. In addition to the permanent storage of CO₂, this is due to the reduction of the cement ratio in fresh concrete towards the regulatory minimum.

About 10kg of the captured CO₂ are permanently stored in each cubic meter of concrete. The enriched material allows for the reduction of cement in fresh concrete. Up to 20kg of new CO₂ emissions per m³ of fresh concrete are avoided.

In 2025, a second technological solution from Neustark that complements their current systems will multiply the storage capacity for CO₂ in concrete. By then each unit of fresh concrete binds at least the amount of CO₂ released during its production and climate-neutral concrete becomes a reality.

Photo by Heather G on Flickr