With its new research initiative Mining the Atmosphere, Empa is proposing nothing less than a paradigm shift: from a CO2-emitting to a CO2-binding society. The greenhouse gas is to be used as a valuable material – for example, as a carbon-based aggregate for concrete or as a thermal insulation material – and stored for the long term. In the NEST unit Beyond Zero, materials like these are being used and tested for the first time. Research, industry and planning are working hand in hand. In this interview, Nathalie Casas (Empa), Corinne Reimann (Implenia) and Christoph Kellenberger (OOS) shed light on the pioneering project from different perspectives.
