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8% of global emissions come from the material we barely talk about.
Concrete. Cement. The literal foundations of modern life, and one of the hardest climate problems we face.

In this episode, I’m joined by Ana Luisa Vaz, VP of Product at Paebbl, to unpack why construction is such a stubborn emissions hotspot, and what it would take to genuinely change that.

Ana explains why cement emits CO₂ by design, not by accident. Half its emissions come from chemistry, not fuel. You can electrify kilns and still be stuck with the carbon. That’s why Paebbl is taking a different path: using accelerated mineralisation to turn captured CO₂ into a cement substitute, permanently locking carbon into concrete itself.

We dig into what “permanence” really means in carbon removal, why performance matters more than good intentions, and how conservative industries like construction can adopt new materials without compromising safety. You’ll hear how Paebbl can already replace up to 30% of cement today, why cost curves matter more than green premiums, and how digital tools, sensors, and models are accelerating learning in an industry that usually moves at a glacial pace.

We also explore the role of policy, public procurement, and cities, the uncomfortable changes the sector needs to unlearn, and whether carbon-negative construction is a realistic goal this century, or just another climate promise that collapses under scrutiny.

This is a conversation about climate tech that lives in the physical world. Hard to abate. Harder to ignore.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Ana Luisa Vaz and Paebbl are rethinking concrete, permanence, and what real decarbonisation looks like at scale.

Podcast subscribers
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

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Credits
Music credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper