The eco-friendly cement provider Ecocem will work with Heathrow Airport to test new types of greener concrete
In 2019, Heathrow Airport asked the Building Research Establishment to find ways to use more environmentally friendly materials in construction. Ecocem and global building supplier Cemex were chosen to provide a cement alternative that was better for the environment.
Two eco-friendly cement options will be tested. The first option is a high-quality pavement concrete mix, with 50% of it made from Ecocem GGBS. The other is Ecocem Ultra, a lower-carbon cement.
Cement and aviation are significant polluters
These options were subjected to a series of laboratory tests, and the first test pour took place at Heathrow Airport this week. The eco-friendly cement will be marked on how strong and long-lasting it is in real-world conditions.
When combined, the cement industry (6%) and the aviation industry (2%) make up 8% of all carbon dioxide emissions globally.
Ecocem, Heathrow, and Cemex are trying to show that eco-friendly products can work in these industries and that carbon emissions from construction at airports can be greatly reduced.
Eco-friendly can cement help net-zero targets
Heathrow Airport is aiming to achieve net zero carbon emissions from aviation by 2050. They want to decrease at least 45% of their carbon emissions related to ground activities by 2030.
By collaborating with Ecocem and Cemex on this project, Heathrow Airport looks to take a leading role in advocating change towards lower carbon emissions in the aviation industry.
“Heathrow is once again serving as a testbed for ground-breaking technologies, demonstrating global leadership with regards to sustainable travel,” commented Nigel Milton, chief of staff and carbon at Heathrow Airport.
“We’re committed to cutting carbon emissions on the ground as well as in the air and we’re delighted to be hosting one of the first airport trials in the world to test lower carbon alternatives. I hope that this trial will help radically transform the built environment at Heathrow in the years to come.”
Ecocem has a history of using its products in large infrastructure projects. Currently, they are providing a low-carbon binder for the concrete used in the UK’s HS2 project and the Metro extension project in Paris.
“Our technical solutions have long helped large-scale infrastructure projects to reduce carbon emissions across Europe,” said Mark Till, UK sales manager at Ecocem.
“Having the opportunity to partner with Heathrow Airport on a project with huge potential in the UK and for the aviation sector, is a testament to the innovation of our products and team,” he concluded.
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