CEBRA and Søren Jensen to develop the concrete-based ‘MiniCO₂’

Concrete is the most used building material in the world. At the same time, producing and processing the material requires enormous amounts of energy and CO2.

CEBRA and Søren Jensen have been selected by the philanthropic association Realdania to shed light on how to build concrete with a low climate impact without compromising on quality and comfort. The building will work as a showcase building and consist of five dwellings across five floors, situated in Kanalbyen, Fredericia, Denmark.

The project, among other things, will identify if and how you can construct new build with a CO2 emission below 5 kg CO₂e/m²/year for materials, primarily using concrete. Moreover, it investigates whether we can reuse concrete elements from the widespread traditional typologies from 1970s Denmark.

Paving the way for a low-carbon future

“We are very excited to get to radically reduce the emissions from concrete using the knowledge and resources that we already have today. Especially with this team, we can create synergies across our climate adaptation projects and optimise the way we build in the future,” said Partner Mikkel Schlesinger.

Initiated by Realdania and VILLUM FONDEN, the team of CEBRA, Søren Jensen A/S, and Realdania also collaborate on the 'Boligbyggeri Fra 4 Til 1 Planet' (Housing Construction From 4 To 1 Planet) project Villa 1 with MT Højgaard Property Development to design and develop a detached house emitting below 3.2 kg CO₂e/m²/year.

Moreover, 4 To 1 Planet uses the Reduction Roadmap targets – science-based CO₂ reduction targets for the building industry aligned with the Paris Agreement and the Planetary Boundaries for Climate Change developed by CEBRA, Artelia, EFFEKT, funded by Realdania and VILLUM FONDEN.

Designed for comparison

The ‘MiniCO₂ Etagehus BETON’ (Minimal CO₂ Concrete Multi-storey Building) is one of three case studies focusing on a single material in the ‘MiniCO₂’ project series by Realdania By & Byg. The ambition is to objectively assess which material performs better and has the lowest climate impact, both overall and for the individual building components. The remaining two mono-material apartment buildings are constructed with wood and bricks.

In a comparative study of the three buildings, Realdania By & Byg will focus on:
– How much CO₂ the buildings emit per square metre per year in 50 years
– How the used building materials affect the climate and environment
– How the materials function in terms of humidity, fire, and acoustics
– The impact of the building processes on the surroundings during construction
– The time it takes to construct the buildings
– The cost of constructing the building
– The indoor climate of the buildings
– How living in the homes is experienced

To make sure that any observed differences between the buildings stem from the material in question, the buildings are built under the same preconditions. The buildings have the same volume and height, the same geographical location, and face the same directions. They have the same budget, the same function, and approximately the same layout plan with five apartments.

Project details

Location: Kanalbyen, Fredericia, DK
Size: 600 m²
Client and initiator: Realdania By & Byg
Function: Housing
Completion (expected): 2025
Architect: CEBRA
Engineer: Søren Jensen A/S

Read more

About the concrete-based MiniCO₂ Etagehus BETON
About the mono-material building series MiniCO₂ Etagehus
About the low-carbon initiative Boligbyggeri Fra 4 Til 1 Planet