Industry Leader Pioneers Carbon Capture Technology for Sustainable Construction
Heidelberg Materials has launched the world’s first net-zero concrete, marking a significant milestone in construction industry decarbonization. Carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) is expected to deliver 60% of carbon savings in the UK construction sector by 2050, according to the Mineral Products Association’s decarbonization roadmap.
While startups worldwide are developing carbon storage technologies, it’s the 150-year-old Heidelberg Materials (formerly Heidelberg Cement) that has achieved this breakthrough. With operations in over 50 countries, 51,000 employees, and €21.1 billion in revenue, the company has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable building materials.
Carbon Capture: The Core of Heidelberg’s Sustainability Strategy
“Carbon capture and storage is a breakthrough technology for the building materials industry and we are frontrunners in deploying it at scale,” says CEO Dominik von Achten, who has led the company since 2020.
The company’s new product, evoZero, represents cutting-edge technology that maintains strength and performance while dramatically reducing carbon impact. This innovation leverages carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to address previously unavoidable emissions in cement production.
evoZero cement is being produced at Heidelberg’s Brevik, Norway plant—the world’s first industrial-scale carbon capture facility for cement manufacturing. Commercial supply to customers will begin in 2025.
Notable Sustainable Construction Projects
The Nobel Centre in Stockholm will be the first building to use evoZero cement. Scheduled for construction in 2027, this project aims to “set a new standard for sustainable construction,” according to Jon Morrish, CEO Europe of Heidelberg Materials.
Heidelberg Materials continues expanding its carbon capture initiatives with nine industrial-scale CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage) projects:
- Mitchell, USA: Capacity to capture approximately 2 million tonnes of CO2 annually
- Antoing, Belgium: A hybrid carbon capture facility designed to reduce CO2 emissions by 800,000 tonnes
- Devnya, Bulgaria: Similar 800,000-tonne capacity reduction project scheduled to start in 2028
evoBuild: Heidelberg’s Second Sustainable Product Line
With a goal to generate 50% of revenue from sustainable products by 2030, Heidelberg Materials has launched evoBuild—its second global sustainable product brand.
The evoBuild product line follows strict sustainability criteria:
- Low-carbon products must reduce CO2 by at least 30% compared to reference values
- Circular products must contain at least 30% recycled aggregates or reduce material requirements by 30%
“This is an important step toward achieving one of our key targets on the way to net zero,” says Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer Dr. Nicola Kimm. The standardized evoBuild tiering system increases transparency for customers and stakeholders while aligning with the company’s sustainability strategy.
Heidelberg Materials demonstrates how established industry leaders can drive significant environmental innovation in construction—one of the world’s most carbon-intensive sectors.
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