Fig. 2: Time dependent effects of lifecycle emissions of concrete.
From: The climate benefits from cement carbonation are being overestimated
a Traditional global warming potential calculated over a 100-year time horizon (‘GWP 100’), compared to time-adjusted warming potentials over 20, 30, 50 and 100 year time horizons (ex: ‘TAWP 20 yr’). Results are broken down by process contribution as well as total net emissions (black diamond). b Cumulative radiative forcing (CRF) over a 100-year time horizon. Net CRF based on traditional global warming potential approach (‘GWP net) compared to time-adjusted warming potential approach (’TAWP net’). For both figures, the calcination and energy emissions are based on global average cement production data. Use phase is assumed to be 64 years, demolition phase is 0.4 years, and secondary life is 35 years. At end-of-life, demolished particle size is assumed to be in the range of 1–40 mm. For this figure, the concrete is assumed to be in an urban environment during useful life, industrial environment during demolition, and buried during secondary life (each affecting CO2 concentration exposure) and uncoated and exposed (driving relative humidity exposure) throughout its lifecycle. Source data are provided in Source Data 1, Sheets 14 and 15.
