Displaying items by tag: alternative raw materials

Finland: Betolar has analysed ash from utilities provider Alva’s power plants in Finland using its AI-driven SidePrime software to map its potential for use as a binder to replace cement in concrete production.

Betolar said that it sees potential for future integration of Alva’s ash into its material network.

Finland/Germany: Finland-based Carbonaide has cured 1kg of concrete with CO₂ captured using NeoCarbon’s direct air capture (DAC) method. The partners blended the CO₂ with other CO₂ from biogenic sources. They said that the project, called NeoDuo, successfully demonstrated concrete production with 50% reduced CO₂ emissions, and can also be used to produce carbon-negative concrete when cement is substituted with alternative binders.

The companies plan to scale this technology to achieve 1000t of CO₂ sequestered by 2026. They are reportedly on track to begin providing carbon removal credits to customers later in 2025.

US: Canada-based CarbiCrete has launched its CarbiFlo cement-free paving grids in the US market. It says that CarbiFlo paving grids allow permeation for stormwater runoff and soil stabilisation. Maine-based retailer Gagne & Son will distribute the product.

UK: Construction firm Skanska is using 3000 planks of precast concrete made with 50% ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) for the upcoming 105 Victoria Street commercial development in Westminster, dubbed ‘London’s most sustainable office building.’ Engineering firm Laing O’Rourke will design and produce the planks at its Worksop, Nottinghamshire, concrete plant. Construction Management Magazine News has reported that the 105 Victoria Street building will include 2000m² of green space and terraces.

France: Saint-Gobain subsidiary Chryso has launched EnviroMix C-Clay, a new range of additives designed for the production of concrete using calcined clay cement. Chryso says that the product enables concrete producers to reduce their CO₂ emissions by 50% by displacing ordinary Portland cement (OPC).

Singapore: A team at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore has developed a new method for 3D printing concrete that incorporates steam and CO₂ from industrial by-products into the concrete mix. The team says that the process enhances the strength of concrete, while reducing the total volume used in construction.

Canada: CarbiCrete has obtained the first Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for its cement-free concrete masonry units (CMUs). The products have specific CO₂ emissions of 11.7kg/m³ for the CMUs, 94% below the industry norm of 200kg/m³. FinancialWire News has reported that CarbiCrete’s recipe for the CMUs replaces cement with steel by-products, while also sequestering CO₂.

Concrete products company Canal Block is set to commence production of CarbiCrete CMUs at its Port Colborne plant in Ontario in early 2025.

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Readymix and Finland-based Betolar have launched two new reduced-CO₂ concretes, produced using ground granulated blast furnace slag and natural pozzolans with Betolar’s Geoprime technology. One of the products is cement-free and the other has an ultra-low (2.5%) cement content. TradeArabia News has reported that the dual launch concludes a successful partnership between the companies, which began in 2023.

Saudi Readymix technology and strategy director Chris Leptokaridis said "Saudi Readymix has been at the forefront of developing new technologies to meet our customers' increasing demand for eco-friendly, low-CO₂ solutions. Our partnership with Betolar has enabled us to successfully deliver on this goal, offering groundbreaking concrete recipes that significantly reduce carbon emissions."

Betolar senior researcher Ahmad Alzaza said "This project pushed the boundaries of innovation by bringing low-carbon technology into the ready-mix concrete space. We are proud to have contributed to a solution that will help advance sustainable construction across Saudi Arabia."

US: C-Crete Technologies has poured its granite-based cement-free concrete in its first construction application at the upcoming JPMorgan Chase headquarters at 270 Park Avenue, Manhattan. Ecology, Environment and Conservation News has reported that the concrete generates no net CO₂ emissions by sequestering atmospheric CO₂ in its curing process. The concrete conforms to ASTM International standards, with a compressive strength exceeding 5000psi. Other partners on the project included engineering firm Severud Associates Consulting Engineers and construction management firm AECOM Tishman.

C-Crete Technologies president Rouzbeh Savary said "We are thrilled to introduce our new granite-based concrete at such a prestigious and iconic location. The building at 270 Park Avenue is set to become a landmark not only for its architectural grandeur, but also for its sustainable construction practices."

Severud Associates Consulting Engineers senior associate Fortunato Orlando said "The performance of C-Crete for concrete on metal deck, topping slabs, pavements and landscape work, coupled with its eco-friendly attributes, makes it a revolutionary product for the future of the construction industry."

AECOM Tishman chief operating officer John Kovacs said "Just a few years ago, constructing devoid of Portland cement and CO₂ emissions would have seemed unimaginable. And yet today, we stand as the world's first, setting new thresholds of what's possible in sustainable construction. We thank all of our partners on this project and look forward to the day when CO₂ emission-free construction is not simply an idea or a new innovation, but the industry standard across every build."

Saudi Arabia: City Cement subsidiary Nizak Mining Company has entered talks with UK-based calcined clay producer Next Generation SCM about a possible joint venture. The proposed joint venture will build a reduced-CO₂ concrete plant in Riyadh, with further such plants to follow. TradeArabia News has reported that commercial-scale production will commence in mid-late 2025, with an initial target capacity of 350,000t/yr.

City Cement CEO Majed Alosailan said "This joint venture is a significant step in our commitment to the continued growth of Saudi Arabia as a global materials and infrastructure hub. Not only will it support domestic job creation, it will also dramatically improve accessibility to critical low-carbon materials that we will soon be able to export around the region. As the materials transition continues to accelerate, finding solutions that support the Kingdom’s infrastructure ambitions hand in hand with sustainability targets is essential to realise the opportunity ahead."

Next Generation SCM CEO Christian Husum said "There are over 4bn people who live in urban areas right now, and that is going to increase by 2bn over the next 30 years. This is a massive, global building project, which is equivalent to building an additional New York City every month. Those cities will also need the infrastructure to cope with an influx of people and there is no way to do that without concrete. There is also no way for our planet to cope with concrete production at that scale unless we find a way of producing it without generating enormous amounts of carbon emissions. Now, there is a way. This joint venture will put the process into practice to bring about a revolution in how we build everything from stadiums to skyscrapers in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and then the world.”