Innovative Building Materials

Construction presents both our biggest climate challenge and greatest opportunity. Buildings generate 40% of global carbon emissions, with cement alone accounting for 8% of the world’s emissions.

Our research reimagines construction materials and systems to create buildings that don't just shelter—they actively improve human health and resilience while accelerating the energy transition.

From Molecules to Markets

Advanced Carbonation Chemistry

  • Our laboratory investigates the fundamental chemistry of carbon dioxide reactions with calcium silicate minerals to develop revolutionary building materials. We're engineering crystalline calcium silicate hydrate phases that not only sequester CO₂ permanently but create stronger, more durable concrete than conventional materials.

    • Pseudowollastonite Carbonation: Transforming industrial waste slags into high-performance cement through controlled CO₂ reactions

    • Interfacial Engineering: Understanding how surface properties and mineral structures affect carbonation efficiency and material strength

    • Crystalline Phase Control: Designing specific calcium silicate crystal structures that optimize both carbon storage and mechanical properties

    • Tolliver, C., Nguyen, S., Dela Cerna, K., McNamara, R., Opila, E. J., & Clarens, A. F. (2024). Coprecipitation of Crystalline Calcium Silicates and Carbonates from the Hydrothermal Reaction of Pseudowollastonite. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.

    • Plattenberger, D. A., Opila, E. J., Shahsavari, R., & Clarens, A. F. (2020). Feasibility of Using Calcium Silicate Carbonation to Synthesize High-Performance and Low-Carbon Cements. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 8(14), 5431-5436.

    • Plattenberger, D. A., Ling, F. T., Tao, Z., Peters, C. A., & Clarens, A. F. (2018). Calcium Silicate Crystal Structure Impacts Reactivity with CO2 and Precipitate Chemistry. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 5(9), 558-563.

Building Materials Transition

  • We conduct comprehensive analysis of how innovative materials can transform the construction industry through integrated technological, economic, and environmental assessment.

    • Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying the full environmental impact of novel materials from production through end-of-life

    • Technology Transition Modeling: Analyzing how new materials technologies can penetrate markets and transform industry practices

    • Regional Decarbonization Pathways: Mapping state and local strategies for eliminating pollution from construction while supporting economic growth

    • Infrastructure Systems Integration: Understanding how clean building materials interact with energy systems, transportation networks, and urban planning

    • Fritzeen, W. E., O'Rourke, P. R., Fuhrman, J. G., Colosi, L. M., Yu, S., Shobe, W. M., ... & Clarens, A. F. (2023). Integrated Assessment of the Leading Paths to Mitigate CO2 Emissions from the Organic Chemical and Plastics Industry. Environmental Science & Technology, 57(49), 20571-20582

Buildings That Do More

  • We conduct comprehensive systems analysis to understand how innovative materials can scale across the entire construction industry. Our integrated assessment approach examines the technological, economic, and environmental pathways for deep decarbonization of building materials.

  • Actively Clean the Air: Materials that continuously capture and store atmospheric CO₂

    Generate Energy: Integration with clean energy systems for net-positive energy buildings

    Enhance Resilience: Stronger materials that better withstand extreme weather while reducing maintenance needs

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Carbon Management