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Finland's soft clay soils make it difficult to build durable roads, bridges, and infrastructure. Traditionally, cement-based ground stabilization is used—but cement production is a major source of global CO₂ emissions.

Aalto University’s BEACON project is pioneering a sustainable alternative. Building on low-carbon ground improvement research, the project transforms surplus clay—typically landfilled at high cost—into carbon-negative construction aggregates.

The core technology partially replaces cement with biochar, a carbon-negative by-product of biofuel production, and integrates carbon sequestration. This process not only stabilizes the clay but also locks CO₂ into the clay-biochar aggregates in a solid, stable form—turning treated ground into a potential carbon sink.

The team has also developed a method to reuse surplus clay on-site as fill material, in noise barriers, or as aggregate in greener concrete mixes. This reduces landfill waste, hauling costs, emissions, and the need for virgin material extraction.

'The construction industry is understandably cautious—structures must last for decades, even centuries. But cutting emissions in this sector demands bold innovation. We’re inviting industry partners to help bring this solution from the lab to real-world sites,' says Assistant Professor Sanandam Bordoloi of Aalto University.