UK's First Net-Zero Concrete Uses Biochar From Coffee Waste
Concrete is responsible for roughly 8% of global CO₂ emissions. Now a UK partnership has shown it can be carbon-negative. Holcim UK and Canary Wharf Group (CWG) have produced what they’re calling the UK’s first net-zero concrete, using biochar derived from spent coffee grounds collected from Canary Wharf coffee shops and coppiced hardwood. The Numbers The initial trial pours in April 2025 achieved an 80% reduction in net Global Warming Potential (GWP A1–A3) compared to traditional CEM I concrete — landing at 69 kgCO₂e/m³. ...