Displaying items by tag: sustainability

Global: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has announced new collaborations between global cement manufacturers and technology start-ups, focusing on the development of low carbon concrete. Four start-ups—EnviCore in Canada, Queens Carbon and Chement, both in the US and NeoCrete in New Zealand—were part of the 2023 GCCA Innovandi Open Challenge and have now partnered with cement manufacturers. These partnerships aim to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

The startups will receive access to industry plants, labs and networks to fast-track their technologies. They will also demonstrate their progress on 6th June 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand, during the GCCA's CEO and Leaders Conference. The association continues its efforts under the 2050 Net Zero Concrete Roadmap, with 29 new start-ups shortlisted this year to work on carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technology.

US: St Marys Cement won three national awards at the Slag Cement in Sustainable Concrete Awards 2023. The producer won the awards for supplying its slag cement for the construction of Wixom Assembly Park in Wixom, Michigan; of 333 North Water in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and of Excellerate Manufacturing in Appleton, Wisconsin.

UK: Heidelberg Materials UK has opened a new circular materials hub at its Appleford depot in Oxfordshire. The site will recycle construction waste for use in low-CO₂ building materials. The move advances the company’s strategy to conserve natural materials and support the circular economy.

Recycling managing director James Whitelaw said “Recycling, reusing and reducing the use of primary raw materials is crucial to reaching net zero. Our network of recycling hubs will allow us to provide the most sustainable products to our customers through circularity and innovation to enable building more with less.”

Spain: Bio-Ecomatter, a company based in Extremadura, has launched a new sustainable mortar product without cement or sand, using agro-industrial waste as raw material. This product was developed by founders Carmen Tristancho and Lorena Rodríguez, along with Juanjo Tejado and Marisa Carmona from the Institute of Ornamental Rocks and Building Materials.

Bio-Ecomatter's product composition remains confidential. Beyond reducing reliance on traditional materials like cement, it promotes environmental sustainability by utilising agro-industrial waste. Carmen Tristancho, who heads the innovation department at an environmental engineering firm in Badajoz and co-created the product, revealed that the mortar includes hydraulic lime and agro-industrial waste. The mortar reportedly has a 40% higher performance than standard mortar and is half the density. It has the same texture and workability as conventional mortar, with a formula that minimises carbon emissions and lessens reliance on non-renewable raw materials.

The project, while not aiming to replace traditional mortar, introduces alternative sustainable construction methods. Bio-Ecomatter's product won the sustainable construction award from Metabuilding, an EU-funded project supporting SMEs in the construction sector. Tristancho reveals they are also working on projects using recycled plastic moulds filled with their Bio-Ecomatter mortar.

Tristancho said "We are women in a field very centred on cement and sand, so introducing a new material in construction can be met with scepticism."

World: Investment firm Insight Partners has forecast a composite annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.3% in the global green cement and concrete market between 2023 and 2030. This will result in a total value of US$990m in 2030, compared to US$806m in 2023. Regionally, the firm expects the sharpest growth in South and Central America, with a CAGR of 10% to US$7.9m in 2030. North America is expected to grow at a rate of 5.4% annually, to US$190m, followed by Europe, at 4.5% to US$226m, Middle East and Africa, at 2.9% to US$13m, and Asia-Pacific, at 1.4% to US$553m. In 2023, Asia-Pacific commanded a 61% share of the global market. Europe’s share was 20% and that of North America was 16%.

US: Terra CO₂ has begun full-scale trial production of concrete without cement using its novel supplementary cementitious material, Opus Zero. The SCM consists of ground, heated glass spheres made from silicate rock.

Chief scientific officer DJ Lake said “Opus Zero represents a pivotal moment in our journey towards sustainable cement and concrete. Of the very few non-carbon-capture solutions to decarbonising cement, with none proven at scale, Opus Zero stands above the rest for being inherently cost-efficient, practical and scalable for the industry. Today, Opus Zero represents a zero-clinker cement that can be produced with abundant feedstock around the world, does not require opening new mines to scale, and aims to seamlessly fold into the current industry landscape.”

UK: Recycl8 has completed its first large-scale commercial project in partnership with Breedon Group. The partners supplied R8 Mix reduced-CO₂ concrete for the installation of an industrial floor slab at Aurora Energy Services site in Inverness. R8 Mix concrete is produced using incinerator bottom ash and Breedon Group’s blended cement.

Recycl8 chief executive officer Mark Gillespie said "We are excited to be working with Aurora Energy Services. It is particularly gratifying for us to be carrying out our first large-scale commercial project with an organisation which is committed to supporting the energy sector transition to net zero, with a particular focus on the renewables sector. With our commitment to fostering a sustainable, circular-economy future for the construction industry by playing our part in lowering carbon emissions from concrete manufacture, we share the same values and synergies."

US: The Department of Transportation has announced a US$5m initiative to investigate the use of steel slag in cement and concrete. This will take the form of a collaboration between the Department of Transportation and a selected US-based steel producer and university partner. The initiative seeks to reduce CO₂ emissions in the production of building materials. Prospective participants may view the grant opportunity here.

Transport secretary Pete Buttigieg said "We're proud to make this funding available to help develop the next generation of construction materials so that the future of our transport infrastructure is more resilient, more sustainable and made in America.”

Robert Hampshire, deputy assistant secretary for research and technology and chief science officer, said “This funding initiative will develop and advance innovative materials and technologies that support the nation’s goals to decarbonise the transportation sector by 2050, strengthen resilience of the nation’s transportation infrastructure, and address adverse environmental impacts created by the transportation system.”

Spain: Heidelberg Materials and construction firm Viuda de Sainz plan to open a construction and demolition waste (CDW) recycling and slag grinding plant in Güeñes, Basque Country. The plant, called Harri Green, will be situated in Heidelberg Materials' existing Zaramillo limestone quarry. It processing capacities will be 140,000t/yr CDW and 20,000t/yr steel slag, with which it will produce aggregates. The cost of the plant is Euro2m.

UK: CRH-subsidiary Tarmac has launched the new CEVO umbrella brand for its reduced-CO₂ concrete range. A colour-coded labelling system of strength and sustainability ratings also accompanies the new brand. The CEVO range will be the UK’s first to align entirely with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)’s Low Carbon Concrete Routemap. Tarmac has also released a new carbon calculator, benchmarked against the Green Construction Board standard and calculated in accordance with PAS 2050 lifecycle assessment methodology. This includes a major update to the new BS8500 British concrete standard, which allows up to 20% limestone filler in concrete. The company has also developed an alkali-activated material (AACM) system in line with the new standard.

Tarmac’s head of readymix concrete performance Andrew Campling said "We've listened to our customers and made the process of accessing transparent data and procuring lower carbon concrete as simple as possible. Through the benchmarking, the options to deliver carbon savings are even easier to understand and measure - it is designed to be specification made simple."