The launch of the “C-Factory” signals the beginning of a major industrial policy initiative in Saxony, Germany, focused on advancing climate-friendly construction practices. At its core, the project aims to establish the world’s first carbon concrete plant, designed for the fully automated production of CO₂-storing carbon concrete components tailored for building construction.
Backed by approximately 14 million euros in funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), the initiative falls under the Federal Funding Program for Industry and Climate Protection (BIK) and is scheduled to run until the end of 2029. The project is initiated and coordinated by Kahnt & Tietze GmbH in Leipzig, bringing together a consortium of industry and academic partners. These include Betonwerk Oschatz GmbH, SCHWENK Zement GmbH & Co. KG, Prilhofer Consulting GmbH & Co. KG, ABS Storkow GmbH, the Research and Transfer Center Leipzig e. V. of the Leipzig University of Applied Sciences (HTWK), and the Dresden University of Technology (TUD).
The construction, modernization, and operation of buildings account for 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Germany, placing the sector at the center of decarbonization efforts. Carbon concrete offers a material alternative with reduced resource demand, enabling slimmer, lighter, and more durable components compared to traditional reinforced concrete. As carbon does not corrode, the required concrete cover is minimized, leading to significant reductions in cement, gravel, and sand usage—delivering resource savings of up to 80 percent. When combined with CO₂-mineralized aggregates and additional CO₂-storing materials, components produced at the carbon concrete plant are expected to function as carbon sinks.
Over the past two decades, carbon concrete construction has moved from research to early-stage applications, including the Carbon Concrete CUBE in Dresden. Building on these developments, the C-Factory represents the transition toward industrial-scale production. The project will establish a prototypical, fully automated production line for large-format carbon concrete components, alongside the integration of CO₂-storing building materials. Over the next four years, the pilot plant in Leipzig will be constructed and commissioned to produce demonstration components, serving as a reference model for future facilities and enabling broader industrial deployment of this construction method.
