Open Access

REVIEW

CO₂ Capture in Construction Materials: Review of Uptake Approaches and Energy Considerations

Mahboobeh Attaei^1,2, Maria Vieira¹, Cinthia Maia Pederneiras^3,4,*, Filipa Clara Coimbra¹, David Bastos¹, Rosário Veiga³

1 c5Lab–Sustainable Construction Materials Association, Rua Central Park 6, 2795-242 Linda-a-Velha, Portugal
2 CERENA–Centro de Recursos Naturais e Ambiente, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
3 LNEC–National Laboratory for Civil Engineering, Av. do Brasil 101, 1700-066 Lisbon, Portugal
4 CERIS–Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal

* Corresponding Author: Cinthia Maia Pederneiras. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advancing Carbon Mitigation Strategies for a Sustainable Future)

Energy Engineering 2026, 123(4), 6 https://doi.org/10.32604/ee.2026.074246

Received 06 October 2025; Accepted 17 December 2025; Issue published 27 March 2026

Abstract

The construction industry is a significant contributor to global CO₂ emissions, and urgent innovation is needed to mitigate its environmental impact. This paper provides a comprehensive review of scalable approaches for CO₂ uptake in construction materials, including the injection of CO₂ into fresh concrete, the CO₂ curing of precast concrete, and the use of ceramics as CO₂ sinks. Among these three approaches, CO₂ curing methods for concrete represent the most advanced and widely adopted strategies within industrial practice, with substantial research supporting their effectiveness and scalability. The comparison of carbonation mineralisation across three distinct material groups reveals that the direct injection of CO₂ into fresh concrete mixes results in CO₂ uptake of less than 3 kg/m³. For the precast concrete elements, the CO₂ uptake ranges from 30 to 350 kg/m³, while ceramics can achieve uptake efficiencies up to 23 wt.% under pilot-scale conditions. Achieving efficient CO₂ uptake in fresh and precast concrete without compromising mechanical properties relies on precise control over the CO₂ dose, a tailored mix design, and optimised curing conditions, while avoiding excessive carbonation that could reduce alkalinity or durability. Valorisation of carbonated materials as supplementary cementitious components or aggregates is identified as an important circular solution, though further research is needed to address regeneration, performance, and standardisation. The review highlights ongoing gaps in life-cycle assessment and industrial-scale validation, and recommends future work on durability and techno-economic optimisation for robust decarbonisation in the cement and concrete industries.

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