Amazon, Microsoft to Use Green Concrete for Buildings

In 2019, Amazon co-founded the Climate Pledge, a commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2040. Amazon’s investment in CarbonCure , a Canadian cleantech company that develops carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions for the concrete industry ,aligns with this commitment. Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund and Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) co-led the investment syndicate comprising Microsoft, BDC Capital, 2150, Thistledown Foundation, Taronga Group and GreenSoil Investments, CarbonCure said. The investment represents a commitment to tackling the carbon footprint of concrete, the most abundant human-made material in the world. Cement — the key ingredient that gives concrete its strength — is also one of the largest emitters of carbon dioxide in the built environment. This investment in CDR signals a broader change for public and private infrastructure projects as industries and governments turn their focus toward the reduction of embodied carbon. “We are excited to invest in CarbonCure, a company producing stronger, more sustainable concrete, which will help Amazon and other companies meet The Climate Pledge, a commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2040. We are looking forward to lowering the carbon footprint of many of our buildings by using CarbonCure concrete, including in Amazon’s HQ2 building in Virginia,” said Kara Hurst, Vice President of Sustainability, Amazon. Microsoft, another prominent tech company in CarbonCure’s investment syndicate, also has ambitious sustainability commitments. “Achieving a net zero carbon future requires developing innovative new technologies to address carbon emissions across industries,” said Brandon Middaugh, Director of Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund.