Building-Integrated Carbon Capture: Carbon Dioxide Removal through Buildings' Mechanical Systems

Building-integrated carbon capture (BICC) is a mechanism capable of absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air to be stored and then converted into useful carbon-based materials without negatively impacting the environment. BICC adapts an existing carbon-capture technology called Moisture Swing Air Capture Technology and represents a new approach to the technology by attempting to integrate this carbon-capture technology within existing buildings’ mechanical systems. This technology uses filter-like panels made of thin fibers of sorbent material, which is capable of capturing CO2 when in a dry state and then releasing it when moisture is applied. We intend to build upon our previous work in which we treated building façades as artificial leaves capable of providing shade to lower solar heat gain while simultaneously capturing CO2 through the air filters attached to the building façades by attempting a different approach capable of capturing CO2 within buildings. Buildings are required by codes and standards to maintain a certain level of CO2 concentration for acceptable indoor air quality for occupants. In this newer version of BICC, we envision buildings as CO2 reservoirs or vacuums in which mechanical systems introduce fresh air, and through human activities, the air within the building becomes enriched with CO2 before being exhausted back to the outer environment. The design of a carbon-capture mechanism will take advantage of the ventilation side of existing HVAC systems through which we intend to capture CO2 from the exhaust-enriched CO2 air through a proposed integrated filtration mechanism. We believe BICC is another small piece of the puzzle to combat the rise of atmospheric CO2 levels; just like planting a tree adds to the global carbon sink, BICC will take advantage of existing structures and equipment to provide another method to capture CO2.