Overview
A groundbreaking collaboration has successfully integrated direct air capture (DAC) technology with carbon mineralisation processes to produce genuinely carbon-negative construction aggregates. This achievement represents a significant advancement in decarbonising the built environment.
Project Details
Category: Energy & Environment
Project: First global integration of direct air capture into building materials manufacturing
Lead Organisations: Mission Zero Technologies (MZT), OCO Technology, Optimus
Transforming Atmospheric Carbon into Construction Materials
For many years, OCO Technology has converted industrial waste streams into construction aggregates using its proprietary Accelerated Carbonation Technology (ACT). This process mineralises carbon dioxide into a stable form of manufactured limestone, widely used within the construction sector.
At OCO’s facility in Wretham, Norfolk, this process has now been enhanced through the installation of a bespoke direct air capture system developed by London-based climate technology company Mission Zero Technologies (MZT).
The integration of DAC with ACT marks a world-first demonstration of circular carbon utilisation: extracting CO₂ directly from the atmosphere and permanently embedding it within construction-grade aggregates.
As Graham Cooper, UK Managing Director at OCO Technology, explains, the company has long focused on incorporating captured CO₂ into industrial residues to create sustainable manufactured limestone. The collaboration with MZT extends this principle further — sourcing carbon dioxide directly from ambient air to produce carbon-negative materials.
The Technology Behind the Innovation
Unlike many conventional DAC systems that depend on heat-intensive regeneration processes, MZT’s approach employs an electrochemical method. Captured CO₂ is absorbed into a liquid solvent and subsequently released using electricity rather than thermal input.
This electricity-driven regeneration significantly reduces energy intensity and engineering complexity. The system’s design also facilitates direct compatibility with renewable power sources, further lowering lifecycle emissions.
According to MZT co-founder and CEO Nick Chadwick, a major challenge in DAC lies not in capturing CO₂, but in efficiently releasing and purifying it from the capture medium. By selectively regenerating CO₂ using electricity alone, MZT’s system achieves both cost and efficiency advantages.
Commercialising Carbon Utilisation
While capture efficiency is essential, long-term market viability depends upon productive uses for the captured carbon. Chadwick has consistently emphasised that creating value streams for CO₂ utilisation is critical to reshaping how society perceives carbon management.
Mission Zero Technologies is pursuing multiple commercial pathways, including sustainable aviation fuel production in partnership with the University of Sheffield’s Translational Energy Research Centre, and geological sequestration projects with Canadian firm Deep Sky.
However, the collaboration with OCO presents one of the clearest routes to scalable commercial deployment. It transforms atmospheric CO₂ and industrial residues into essential construction materials with permanent carbon storage embedded within the product itself.
Carbon-Negative Aggregates at Industrial Scale
The global construction industry accounts for approximately 37 per cent of annual greenhouse gas emissions. Given that much of modern infrastructure relies on carbon-based materials such as concrete and asphalt, rethinking material production is critical to achieving climate targets.
The Norfolk project was funded by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) through its Direct Air Capture and Greenhouse Gas Removal Innovation Programme. Working alongside engineering consultants Optimus, MZT designed and installed a modular DAC system directly at OCO’s Wretham plant.
Previously, OCO relied exclusively on biogenic CO₂ from regional anaerobic digestion and fermentation facilities. The new on-site DAC system, operational since May 2025, supplements this supply with a dependable, renewable source of atmospheric CO₂.
The system feeds captured CO₂ through a direct pipeline into a buffer tank before integration into OCO’s ACT process. There, it reacts with recycled incineration residues to produce carbon-negative limestone aggregates.
The plant is capable of removing up to 250 tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere annually. In addition to producing sustainable aggregates, the operation also generates verified carbon removal credits — creating an additional revenue stream.
Enhancing Supply Chain Resilience
From OCO’s perspective, on-site DAC offers strategic independence. While biogenic CO₂ availability varies geographically, direct air capture can be deployed almost anywhere.
This flexibility supports business resilience and future expansion without dependence on regional CO₂ supply chains. It also strengthens the environmental performance credentials of OCO’s end products.
Co-locating CO₂ production with aggregate manufacturing reduces logistical risks and ensures a secure, sustainable carbon source — an increasingly important factor as carbon markets mature.
Design, Delivery and Collaboration
Speed of deployment and scalability were fundamental to the project’s success. The DAC system was engineered using a modular design philosophy, relying on established components supported by international supply chains.
Optimus contributed agile engineering expertise, enabling rapid transition from design to pilot-scale deployment — considerably faster than traditional industrial project timelines.
Over a three-year development period, MZT and OCO operated as an integrated consortium. Joint participation in HAZOP studies ensured seamless process alignment and safety compliance. Both organisations co-reviewed pipeline integration designs and maintained close on-site coordination.
Weekly coordination meetings supported transparent communication throughout the project lifecycle. Harmonised site access and safety procedures ensured operational consistency, while joint site tours showcased the innovation to stakeholders.
A Step Change for Sustainable Construction
This project represents more than a technical milestone. It demonstrates that direct air capture can move beyond pilot facilities and integrate directly into industrial manufacturing processes.
By permanently embedding atmospheric carbon within construction materials, the collaboration delivers a practical pathway towards decarbonising one of the world’s most emissions-intensive sectors.
As Cooper noted, the integration of DAC into building materials production signals a tangible breakthrough in sustainable construction — proving that scalable carbon removal can coexist with commercial manufacturing.
