Although often celebrated as a versatile, durable, and resilient material, concrete accounts for approximately 11 percent of global carbon emissions. In her Architectural Record article “Continuing Education: Decarbonizing Concrete—The Ubiquitous Material Gets a Climate Friendly Makeover,” Joann Gonchar, AIA, highlights various strategies for reducing concrete’s environmental impact.

Among the industry professionals featured, Managing Partner Brant Coletta and Design Principal Yasemin Kologlu discuss our ongoing partnership with Prometheus Materials to turn the built environment into a climate solution. Together, we are developing bio-concrete, an algae-based construction material that absorbs carbon. With similar properties to concrete, this new material forms the basis for carbon-negative buildings and has become central to Urban Sequoia.