Cement and concrete account for approximately 8% of the world's CO2 emissions. While there are efforts to make concrete more sustainable, such as by using supplementary cementitious materials and fossil-free energy in new concrete production, a significantly untapped potential lies in reusing concrete from the existing building stock. This study presents a novel digital workflow for predicting the lifespan of concrete elements, CO2 uptake by natural carbonation, and the embodied carbon savings that can be achieved through reuse.

The workflow was tested in an existing building from the 1960s, demonstrating high reuse potential.

The study also explored how carbonation could impact allocation methods in LCA. Reuse can extend the service life of structural concrete elements and offer significant climate benefits, reducing a building’s embodied carbon. 

The findings of this study respond to the RILEM recommendation for revising carbonation rates in standards like EN 16757:2022 and CEN/TR 17310_2019.

The study is part of the EU-funded ReCreate project at KTH Royal Institute of Technology.