Professor Julian Allwood from Cambridge’s Department of Engineering led research on reducing emissions from the construction industry. One challenge was the use of cement in making concrete, responsible for almost 90% of concrete emissions. Scientists developed substitutes for cement, such as using fly ash, but faced limitations due to global demand. Dr. Cyrille Dunant proposed a method to recycle old concrete into cement using an electric arc furnace, accelerating the chemical reaction. This new process, known as Cambridge Electric Cement, has the potential to produce one billion tonnes of cement annually by 2050, significantly reducing emissions. The researchers have filed a patent for commercialization of this innovative approach.
https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/cement-recycling