Carbon Instead provides innovative solutions on how to use waste sourced biochar to decarbonize construction materials and turn them into long-term carbon sinks. The technology enables to partially or completely replace carbon-intensive materials, such as cement and sand, with locally produced biochar.

The Carbon Instead team (from left to right): Julia Roth, Joanna Fatorelli, Murtaza Akhtar and Ankita Mitra

Biochar is obtained as a result of pyrolysis, during which biomass is modified to isolate the carbon contained in biogenic waste matter. This creates a valuable raw material that traps CO2. It can in turn be embedded in products with long and durable lives, such as buildings. With this technology, Carbon Instead not only enables to reduce the CO2 footprint of the construction industry and turning buildings into long-term carbon sinks, but also provides a very sustainable method for organic waste management. Furthermore, an optimization of material properties like thermal isolation is possible. Through local and sustainable production of materials, the scarcity of mineral resources and the problem of long-distance transportation are combatted.

The international team has backgrounds in business economics, environmental chemistry and project management, research, and development capabilities in material sciences as well as in marketing and sustainability.

In the ClimAccelerator programme and with support of ERGO and Munich Re, Carbon Instead aims to work on business partner management, team development, dynamic business models and the perspectives of sustainability and the carbon removal sector from the point of view of different Stakeholders.

For further information, please go to www.carboninstead.de