Archello Awards 2026 · Enter your projects before 30 September 2026
Archello Awards 2026 · Enter your projects before 30 September 2026

Holcim has introduced a breakthrough biochar technology that turns buildings into carbon sinks. Unveiled at the 2025 Architecture Biennale in Venice with architect Alejandro Aravena, the project used biochar concrete made with 100% recycled aggregates. Biochar is created through pyrolysis, converting organic waste into a stable material that locks away carbon—each kilogram prevents up to 3 kilograms of CO₂ emissions. Incorporated into cement, mortar, and concrete, it cuts the carbon footprint without sacrificing performance while supporting the circular economy. With potential to remove 2.6 billion tons of CO₂ annually, biochar is a key driver of Holcim’s sustainable building solutions, helping customers achieve their climate goals.

 

Holcim: The Power of Biochar — Technology in Action 

Basic Services Unit (USB) Prototype

Elemental, the architecture firm led by Pritzker Prize-winner Alejandro Aravena, partnered with Holcim to present a timely project at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale: a prototype for a net-zero material basic service unit (USB), described by Aravena as the firm’s “most radical” design yet. The project builds on over 20 years of Elemental’s research in incremental h...

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