Saudi developer Roshn and US concrete maker Partanna plan to build a carbon-negative concrete factory near Riyadh.

Partanna’s method uses a brine activator to cure concrete at room temperature, consuming CO2 in the process.

The partners said the factory will generate 1.3 million carbon credits a year, which can be sold to other businesses looking to offset their own emissions.

Partanna estimates that if 100,000 homes were built using its material, it would avoid the equivalent annual CO₂ emissions of a million cars.

Rick Fox, Partanna chief executive, said: “Together, we’re going to show the world that you can build sustainably without compromise. We’re going to delink Saudi Arabia’s development from pollution.”

In September 2023, Partanna announced plans for a factory in Saudi Arabia as part of the $63.2bn Diriyah tourism giga project. Partanna’s carbon-negative concrete pavers will be used in the Kingdom.