![](/templates/proglobalmedia-main/images/globe-blue-whitebg.gif)
Displaying items by tag: research and development
Heidelberg Materials Poland inaugurates Katowice construction and demolition materials recycling plant
25 July 2024Poland: Heidelberg Materials has inaugurated its new construction and demolition materials (CDM) recycling plant at Katowice, Silesia. The plant will use a patented crusher to separate and sort 100t/hr of CDM. It will then recycle the materials in new concrete using its ReConcrete circular concrete production technology.
Chief sustainability officer Nicola Kimm said "Thanks to our strong commitment to continuous innovation, we are now introducing a revolutionary and commercially viable technology combining circularity with decarbonisation on our path to net zero. Innovations like this help to accelerate our transformation and highlight our ambition of closing the loop offering circular alternatives for 50% of our concrete products by 2030.”
Heidelberg Materials North America to develop web-based environmental product declaration tool for concrete
19 July 2024US: Heidelberg Materials North America has won up to US$5m from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the development of a web-based tool to generate environmental product declarations (EPDs) for ready-mix concrete and other building materials. The finances are part of a total US$160m in EPA funding for the decarbonisation of building materials.
Heidelberg Materials North America president and CEO of Chris Ward said "With this funding, Heidelberg Materials can accelerate the push for more sustainable construction materials and transparency across the industry, while also helping our customers make more informed decisions when choosing products with a lower carbon footprint."
US: Premier Graphene has despatched test samples of its proprietary graphene suspension to ‘one of the largest essential materials companies.’ Graphene-Info News has reported that Premier Graphene expects the samples to confirm its findings of a 32% increase in compressive strength after 28 days, compared to concrete produced without its graphene.
President Pedro Mendez said "Our internal tests have confirmed multiple advantages that position our green cement product strongly in the market. These include increased strength with reduced cement usage, substantial carbon footprint reduction and enhanced durability. We anticipate strong market adoption driven by our cost-effective graphene production methods and established, remarkable efficacy. Our strategy encompasses both graphene colloids for customised mixing by manufacturers and the development of graphene-based products like epoxies and lubricants. This phased approach minimises capital expenditure while maximising product innovation.”
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.”
INFORM partners with BCMI Corp and Marcotte Systems for AI-powered ready-mix logistics
26 January 2024Germany/North America: INFORM has announced new collaborations with two other software developers for the ready-mix concrete sector. US-based BCMI Corp and Canada-based Marcotte Systems will work with INFORM to develop AI tools for despatching ready-mix concrete.
INFORM senior vice president Thomas Bergmans, who concluded the deals at World of Concrete in the US, said “In addition to offering our proven AI-powered transport planning and execution software, we are very excited to see that these collaborations will further speed up the wide-spread use of our AI algorithms beyond our traditional markets.” Bergmans said that the collaboration with BCMI Corp will provide ready-mix producers with ‘enhanced decision-making tools, real-time logistics optimisation and intelligent automation, ultimately elevating operational performance and customer satisfaction.’ Regarding the collaboration with Marcotte, he said “By combining Marcotte's robust experience in concrete production management with INFORM’s AI capabilities, this ready-to-use solution will empower ready-mix producers.”
Sika opens Suzhou Technology Centre
15 December 2023China: Switzerland-based Sika has opened its new Suzhou Technology Centre in Jiangsu Province. The centre will help Sika to develop its sustainable and high-performance technologies in order to grow it market potential throughout the Asia/Pacific region. By strategically expanding its research and development activities across all core technologies, Sika aims to further strengthen its global innovation leadership.
Chief innovation and sustainability officer Patricia Heidtman said "With our new technology centre, we are strengthening our innovation capabilities in the Asia/Pacific region and are fostering synergies in sustainable construction and environmentally friendly mobility. We have created the ideal framework for close collaboration between our research teams. It will thus enable us to develop forward-looking technologies for our customers that combine sustainability with performance."
US Department of Energy grants C-Crete Technologies US$2m
17 October 2023US: The US Department of Energy has awarded C-Crete Technologies US$2m in funding. C-Crete Technologies is developing a method for using CO2 captured at industrial sources or from the air as an ingredient in its cement-free concrete. The binder will produce almost no CO2 and continue to absorb more CO2 from the air over time. It offers scalability and cost-parity with conventional cement for concrete producers, according to the developer.
C-Crete Technologies president Rouzbeh Savary said “We are committed to crafting a cement-free, carbon-negative ready-mix concrete that doesn’t just mitigate CO2 emissions but actively contributes to reversing climate change. Our aim is nothing short of revolutionising this hard-to-abate, carbon-heavy sector.”
US: The Department of Energy has awarded cement-free concrete developer C-Crete Technologies US$950,000-worth of research funding. The company will put the funds towards developing its concrete using new feedstocks.
Resources News has reported that C-Crete Technologies’ president Rouzbeh Savary said "By enlarging our technology toolbox to utilise geographically versatile and abundant feedstocks, we can ensure that local materials can be converted to cementitious binders, eliminating the need for shipping such materials over long distances.”
Japan: A team at the University of Tokyo has developed cement-free alternative concrete from ultra-fine sand and fly ash. NHK has reported that the process uses recyclable alcohols and has lower CO2 emissions compared to concrete production using ordinary Portland cement. Research with industrial partners into possible construction sector applications is underway. Partnerships with Japanese ready-mixed concrete producers are reportedly also under discussion.
Further information is available from Yuzo Tobisaka, an independent Japanese consultant in the cement and ready-mixed concrete industry, at yuzo.tobisaka@gmail.com.
Global Cement and Concrete Association announces Innovandi Open Challenge 2023 shortlist
30 June 2023World: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has named the 15 anticipated deliverers of low-CO2 cement and concrete production shortlisted for participation in its second Innovandi Open Challenge. The association chose the start-ups based on their potential to deliver CO2 emissions reduction in the global cement and concrete sector in line with its Concrete Future 2050 Net Zero Roadmap. The applicants are presenting their pitches to GCCA members on 30 June 2023. All those accepted will gain access to members' plants, labs, networks and expertise. The following start-ups made the Innovandi Open Challenge 2023 shortlist:
Arrakis Materials | US | Carbon negative materials for concrete |
Chement | US | Room temperature cement production |
EcoAdmix Global | UK | Nanotechnology ('HDT') for concrete |
EcoLocked | Germany | Biocarbon-based admixtures |
EnviCore | Canada | Low temperature supplementary cementitious material production |
Enzymatic | US | Carbon negative enzymatic concrete corrosion inhibition and recycling |
Louis Structures | US | Municipal solid waste-based lightweight aggregates |
MEP - SeaMix | US | Basalt fibre and graphene-based admixture |
Nano Crete | US | Graphene-enhanced CO2 sequestration |
Nanospan India | India | Graphene-based admixture |
NeoCrete | New Zealand | Nano-activator for natural pozzolans |
Queens Carbon | US | ~500°C cementitious materials production |
The Cool Corporation | UK | Carbon negative carbon nanotube-based additive for concrete |
Ultra High Materials | US | Clinkerless cement |
Versarien Graphene | UK | Graphene-based admixture ('Cementene') |
GCCA cement director and innovation lead Claude Loréa said “We received more than 70 quality applications, so drawing up a shortlist was challenging." Loréa continued "Our essential industry needs something easily scalable and affordable. Those start-ups on the list demonstrated the most potential, and we look forward to hearing more about their ideas. But we’ll also be keeping in touch with other start-ups who didn’t make this year’s shortlist, with future projects in mind.”