C-Crete Technologies

Earth’s Natural Color Palette in CO2-Free Concrete Wins! We are very excited to announce that C-Crete’s product collection is a winner of the Build Better Innovation Challenge, led by Microsoft, Capgemini, and Bouygues Construction Group. As part of this recognition, C-Crete will be piloting a project for Microsoft Data Centers within the next ~1-3 months. C-Crete converts Earth’s abundant non-carbonate rocks - such as granite, basalt, and zeolite - into cement-free binders for concrete, while honoring the planet by not altering the rocks. This process preserves the rock colors and results in essentially no CO2 emissions. Each earthy-toned concrete in this image is a world record-breaker, cracking the 200-year reign of gray Portland cement concrete, which contributes to massive CO2 emissions due to the burning of raw materials. Many thanks to Microsoft, Capgemini, Bouygues Construction, and Elemental Impact for honoring Earth! In sustainability, there are no winners or losers - we are ALL in it. Here’s to the 75 teams that participated in the challenge!

“Trailblazers” Meet some of the world’s trailblazers in sustainable construction. Structural engineers are the ones who bear the liability and safety risks when it comes to material specification in any construction project. While many might have opted for the familiar comfort of Portland cement concrete - a well-established material with a 200-year legacy - these visionary engineers chose a different path. In their recent projects, they defied the status quo by specifying an innovative Portland cement-free concrete product: one with little to no history but immense potential to impact our planet (for context, Portland cement production emits ~3 billion tons of CO2 annually, and eliminating it from concrete could save this staggering amount of CO2). These engineers removed/mitigated safety risks through a robust series of safeguards, including multiple standard tests, mock-ups, initial small component pours and monitoring, numerous cross-checks, etc. Together, they are driving a positive transformation for our planet - whether through C-Crete (Cement-free Concrete) or other innovative materials in the future. History will remember them as trailblazers, sophisticated problem solvers, ambitious doers, and environmental stewards. C-Crete is extremely proud to have had the opportunity to work with and learn from these individuals. Here’s to bold structural engineers who are redefining material specifications for a better tomorrow!

Ready to Fly: World’s First Major Airport Paved with Cement-Free Concrete. On behalf of C-Crete and our partners, we are excited to share that San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has become the world’s first major airport paved with Portland-cement-free concrete (C-Crete). For over a century, since the invention of the airplane, all major airports around the world have been grounded by conventional Portland cement concrete, burdened with a hefty carbon footprint. But now, the runway has cleared for change. With C-Crete’s revolutionary product - free of Portland cement and its CO2 emissions - we’re taking off to new altitudes, leaving cement emissions behind. It took us a long time (~15 years) to capture these shots and finally see the "fly" front and center of the C-Crete product, especially the first shot! But the wait was well worth it. This is the airport we use every 1-2 weeks. Now, we’ll be gazing out the window of our seats at the future of construction, with C-Crete beneath every flight. A huge thank you to all the partners who’ve helped us reach this height in sustainability - Turner Construction Company (Emi LaFountain, Brett Stuckey, Vandad Mazarei, Julia Gisewite); SFO (Anthony Bernheim, Julia Katz); Magnusson Klemencic Associates (Pablo Garcia); Bauman Redi-Mix Concrete (Mike Bauman, Brittany Bauman, Raul Pena); Gensler and others. Your contributions have helped us break boundaries. Looking ahead, we can’t wait for the day we pour cement-free concrete on the runway, facilitating low-carbon concretes soaring into the blue skies of everyday use!

No More Dyes or Pigments in Concrete: This Is the Color of Earth! After nearly two decades of work, we are thrilled to unveil a groundbreaking advancement in concrete - a naturally occurring color palette. Gone are the days of artificial dyes and pigments; the earthy tones in this image reflect the hues of the Earth itself, manifested "as-is" in C-Crete products! While our primary mission was to create Portland cement-free concrete (C-Crete) by changing the form and function of naturally occurring non-carbonate rocks - such as granite, basalt, and zeolite - this preservation of rock color emerged as a delightful by-product. It’s one of those serendipitous moments in science that has brought us more joy than we could have imagined. The lack of color change in C-Crete is the visual proof that we are not altering the rocks; rather, we are honoring nature with essentially no CO2 emissions. In contrast, traditional Portland cement concrete is gray - due to the high-temperature burning of materials, releasing massive CO2. To all architects, designers, artists, and engineers: you are no longer bound by gray concrete. Like choosing paint colors for your home, you can now select from a spectrum of naturally occurring colors in concrete that complement your design - colors that never fade. What you are witnessing here is the world’s first concrete representing the color of our planet – without Portland cement and its CO2 emissions. With that, welcome to C-Crete's world!

Breaking Ground with Cement-Free Concrete at LA’s Sustainable Campus! Earlier this month, we began the exciting journey of pouring cement-free concrete (C-Crete) at a unique, nature-integrated Live-Work-Thrive Campus in Los Angeles, masterfully designed by SHoP Architects and Steinberg Hart and brought to life by Lendlease’s global placemaking expertise. This pour represents the first use of Portland-cement-free concrete in Southern California, perfectly aligning with the sustainability mission of Habitat. The project features biophilic design elements interwoven with vibrant greenspaces as well as inviting amenities and inspiring workspaces aimed at elevating the content capital of the world. Many thanks to the teams who embraced this pioneering pour - free of Portland cement and its CO2 emissions - within such an inspiring project: Lendlease (Jack McTavish, and former members AMANDA KAMINSKY, Sara Neff and Joan Gibbons), Holmes US (Nina A. Mahjoub, Megan Stringer, Adam Slivers), Cemex Ready Mix (Hernan Jose Perez, Christopher Iaccio, Ronald Taber), JT Wimsatt Contracting Co., Inc. (Wesley Catig), ClimateWorks Foundation (Don Davies, Larry Sutter), and others. Hope the innovative low-carbon materials continue to flow into thoughtfully crafted urban campuses like this, enriching our planet's habitat globally!

C-Crete will be presenting its Cement-free Concrete product at GreenBuild International Conference + Expo next week Nov 13-14 in Philadelphia. Stop by our booth #709 to learn more and discuss how we can support your construction projects with low carbon goals. Register with code EXPO24 for a free Expo pass or $50 off.

An exciting video that heralds a new era, paving the way for a brighter future! Last month, a section of Highway I-94 in Minnesota underwent a transformation, paved with Cement-free Concrete (C-Crete) - a revolutionary product that stands free from the shackles of Portland cement and its CO2 emissions – cracking the 200-year reign of Portland cement concrete, the very backbone of our infrastructure. Interestingly, we met the final technical requirements of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) in less than a day - compared to the usual 28 days. So, the highway section paved with C-Crete could have opened to traffic in less than 24 hours. A special shoutout to these groups for helping pave the way for a brighter future (pun intended): Larry Sutter; Maria Masten, Emil Bautista, PhD, PE, Bernard Izevbekhai, P.E., Ph.D., Tom Burnham, and Benjamin Worel at MnDOT; Alfred Gardiner, PE and Ben Holbrook at Braun Intertec Corporation; Holcim Ready Mix; and others. You will be recognized as vanguards of change in road construction. Looking forward to paving the entire highway with cement-free concrete, all the way to the net-zero carbon destination! Enjoy the video (ensure that the sound is on). Credit for drone images: Jagan Gudimettla, P.E.

C-Crete Takes the Spotlight by Pouring in a Museum! Last week, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of Portland cement's empire, we proudly began pouring Cement-free Concrete (C-Crete) at the Sandy Spring Museum in Montgomery County, Maryland. This ~180 cubic-yard expansion project marks the first use of Portland cement-free concrete in the entire Mid-Atlantic, highlighting C-Crete’s status as a museum-quality product by defying the entrenched norms of Portland cement usage, which contribute to a staggering ~3 billion tons of CO2 emissions annually. To date, Portland cement-free concrete (C-Crete) has been poured in CA, WA, AZ, NY, MN, TX, Ontario (Canada), and now MD. We are committed to continuing this journey across all states and provinces in North America and beyond, with the goal of eventually ending this once-untouchable empire. Many thanks to the following who welcomed C-Crete into the museum: Scott Knudson (Architect), Jerry Therrien, LEED AP (Owner Rep), Allison Weiss (Museum Director), Nate Tarbox (Bay Ready Mix Company), Sanjoy Bose and Charles Fountain, CQA (Structural Engineers), and Ken McCormack (General Contractor). Hope this historic pour inspires both artists and visitors alike, sparking a wave of creativity that unfolds the adoption of low-carbon materials beyond our imagination!

C-Crete will be presenting its Cement-free Concrete product at VERGE 2024 - Primer ClimateTech Conference - this week Oct 29-31 in San Jose. Stop by our booth #1001 to learn more and discuss how we can support your construction projects with low carbon goals.

The End Has Begun! Today, Oct 21, we stand at a pivotal crossroads, marking the exact 200th anniversary of the Portland cement patent. For two centuries, this substance has been the undisputed choice as a structural binder, shaping our modern civilization. So far, the thought of any construction project without Portland cement, especially at its foundation, seemed unfathomable. Yet, this legacy comes at a cost: the age-old process relies on burning limestone, currently resulting in a staggering annual emission of ~3 billion tons of CO2. Since last year, C-Crete has made a bold stride into the future, pouring over 2,500 tons of Portland cement-free concrete in various projects, shaking the very foundations of this once-glorious reign! This volume of cement-free concrete surpasses that of many companies globally, proving that it is indeed possible to transcend the status quo while maintaining comparable performance and cost. Special shoutout to our partners and collaborators - including developers, general contractors, architects, structural engineers, ready-mix companies, contractors, independent testing firms, and state and government agencies - who have bravely embraced innovation, paving the way for new, low-carbon materials to flourish!