Scientists in Sweden conducted battery research that focused on making batteries store energy and double as structural components for buildings. The team demonstrated a novel cement-based battery that could see large structures built from functional concrete.
The research was executed at the Chalmers University of Technology, where scientists were developing more sustainable building materials, focusing on concrete, the world’s most widely-used, energy-intensive material.
Continue readingEvery two years, the German construction industry’s “Kreislaufwirtschaft Bau” initiative publishes the latest data on the occurrence and origins of mineral construction waste and according recycling quotas on the basis of information from the German Federal Statistical Office.
Continue readingA sustainable, zero-carbon global economy will, literally and figuratively, rest on concrete. It is the world’s most-used building material. It is ubiquitous, versatile, affordable, durable, strong and recyclable – and is the second-most consumed substance in the world, after water. It will provide the foundations for our green energy systems, for climate-resilient infrastructure, for safe, healthy, and secure housing, for clean water and for low-carbon transportation around the world. It will be central to meeting many of the world’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Continue readingOn 14 July 2021, the Commission adopted a proposal for a new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism which will put a carbon price on imports of a targeted selection of products so that ambitious climate action in Europe does not lead to ‘carbon leakage’. This will ensure that European emission reductions contribute to a global emissions decline, instead of pushing carbon-intensive production outside Europe. It also aims to encourage industry outside the EU and our international partners to take steps in the same direction.
Continue readingHeidelbergCement announced its intention to upgrade its plant on the Swedish island of Gotland to become the world’s first carbon-neutral cement plant. The installation at the Slite plant of HeidelbergCement’s subsidiary Cementa will be scaled to capture up to 1.8 million tonnes of CO2 annually, which corresponds to the plant’s total emissions. Additionally, the use of biobased fuels in the cement production at Slite will be increased in line with the Group’s commitment to significantly raise the share of biomass in the fuel mix. The full-scale capturing of the plant’s CO2 emissions is targeted by 2030.
Continue readingThe Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) andWorld Economic Forum have today launched ‘Concrete Action for Climate’ (CAC), a collaborative platform that will help drive the industry’s journey to carbon neutral concrete by 2050 as part of the Mission Possible Partnership.
Continue readingHeidelbergCement has signed the Business Ambition for 1.5°C Commitment, a global initiative led by the SBTi in partnership with the UN Global Compact and the “We Mean Business” coalition, aimed at limiting global warming to 1.5°C and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest. With this signature, HeidelbergCement joins the global Race To Zero campaign, which aims to build positive momentum for the transition to a decarbonised economy ahead of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties in November 2021.
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