Amazon used CarbonCure Technologies in the construction of its HQ2 site near Washington D.C. to lower the carbon footprint of the development, specified to meet Amazon’s sustainability goals.
260,000
sqm of office space over 3 high-rises
20% reduction
in carbon footprint from concrete
1,000 tons
of carbon saved
CO2 mineralised concrete specified to meet sustainability goals
“While it’s not always necessarily visible to our customers or communities, we’re working to decarbonise all of Amazon’s buildings — including our corporate offices, data centers, and fulfillment facilities — given the climate impact of the built environment. At HQ2, we challenged ourselves to push the limits of what’s possible when it comes to sustainable construction and design — and we’re proud to share these features.”
Kara Hurst, Vice President of Sustainability, Amazon
Background
Amazon HQ2 is part of the Metropolitan Park site, an existing urban renewal and development project in National Landing, in Arlington, Virginia, USA. The first phase of “ground-up” construction saw the redevelopment of a block of vacant warehouses into two new LEED Platinum-certified buildings, new retail space for area businesses, and plenty of open space for the community to enjoy.
Solution implemented
CarbonCure’s technologies introduced recycled carbon dioxide into fresh concrete to reduce its carbon footprint without compromising performance. Concrete makes up the largest portion of the project’s total embodied carbon footprint, making low-carbon concrete one of the most impactful ways to reduce emissions associated with the building itself.
Outcome delivered
Using an advanced lower carbon concrete mix design and CarbonCure, which Amazon invested in through its Climate Pledge Fund, Amazon was able to achieve a 20% reduction in the carbon footprint of Met Park’s concrete structures compared to the industry baseline. An estimated 106,555 cubic yards (81,467 cubic metres) of concrete made with CarbonCure was used for the construction, which saved approximately 2 million pounds (approximately 900 tonnes) of CO2.
CarbonCure’s technologies have since been utilised at over 40 Amazon sites globally.
About CarbonCure Technologies
CarbonCure is a technology for the concrete industry to permanently embed CO2 into concrete to reduce the carbon footprint without compromising performance.
For more information, visit https://www.carboncure.com/.
Source: CarbonCure Technologies, May 2024
View More Project Case Studies
Mort & Co and Presien – Achieving an AI vision first for the cattle feed lotting industry
Mort & Co is a leading beef cattle lot feeder and exporter of premium Australian agricultural products. Presien's AI vision system, Blindsight, offered an extra level of safety for Mort & Co staff when using machinery, providing operator alerts, data for reporting, and benchmarks for workplace safety.
Ventia and Social Value Portal – Ventia pioneers Social Value measurement in APAC with the TOM System™
Infrastructure services provider Ventia is making history by being the first company in Asia Pacific to implement Social Value Portal’s TOM System™ (Themes, Outcomes, and Measures), enabling the organisation to quantify AU$4.32B in Social Value created in 2023.
Laing O’Rourke, Select and Ampd Energy – Battery systems reduce carbon emissions at London’s Olympia Redevelopment
The redevelopment of the iconic Olympia Exhibition Centre in west London is a £1.3 billion project that will transform the complex into an ultra-modern, multi-use destination. Laing O’Rourke, and its subsidiary, Select Plant partnered with Ampd Energy to replace the existing on-site diesel generators to help achieve their carbon reduction and energy conservation goals.
Grosvenor and Darabase – Augmented reality (AR) enhances Mayfair Heritage retail experience
Darabase, a location based augmented reality (AR) technology company, was deployed to enhance the retail experience and heritage of the Mayfair area in London. The 2022 project aimed to attract shoppers, boost engagement, and provide a unique way to explore Mayfair’s rich history through AR experiences.
Regina Police and Xandar Kardian – Radar health monitoring technology likely saved inmate’s life
Xandar Kardian's sensors at Regina Police enabled real-time health monitoring, swiftly detecting and addressing a life-threatening condition, effectively saving a life.
Monash Health and SPACECUBE – Modular structure for COVID RESUS medical facility
In response to the surge of COVID outbreaks, SPACECUBE delivered and installed its modular structures for Australia’s first COVID RESUS medical facility. Built in just 15 hours, the facility was designed to alleviate pressure off the emergency services at Monash Medical Centre.