LafargeHolcim is ramping up its cooperation deal with US-based Solidia Technologies to reduce CO2 across its value chain. The French-Swiss building materials giant's partnership with Solidia, which began in 2013, is formally agreed until 2025, with an option to extend.
Together, the two companies' new technology solutions mean that they now emit up to 30% less CO2 during cement production.
They also capture and store CO2, leading to a 70% carbon reduced concrete.
With Solidia, LafargeHolcim will continue to develop new innovative solutions focused on non-reinforced concrete structures and paving while also aiming to make it increasingly applicable for structural applications.
Marcel Cobuz, region head Europe: "Leading the way in low-carbon construction, we plan to facilitate a wider and faster roll-out of the innovative Solidia solution across our operations around the world.
"By scaling up Solidia's solutions, we can fast forward our vision of carbon-neutral cities."
Tom Schuler, president and CEO of Solidia Technologies, added: "By providing market access, technical expertise and market intelligence, LafargeHolcim helped us develop a better cement and concrete.
"Thanks to our collaboration, we are in the market and expanding. Moving forward, we will advance carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies and develop solutions for the full, global concrete market."
Key US customers have already placed orders for Solidia Cement to produce concrete paving blocks using Solidia technology.
In addition to delivering a low CO2 product, Solidia cement can also increase precast production output from full product strength in under 24 hours (compared to 28 days for traditional concrete) and less equipment downtime for cleaning.
Solidia Concrete says that its products are more durable and have a wider colour palette and no efflorescence.
Industrial pilots are currently also ongoing in Canada, Germany, France and the UK, with further pilots being prepared.
Initially, the required CO2 will be supplied by third parties while Solidia supplies the required curing chambers in which the CO2 is injected into the concrete. Over the long term, LafargeHolcim aims to utilise CO2 captured from cement kilns in North America and Europe.
Thanks to its efforts in the field of decarbonisation – from operations to products and solutions – LafargeHolcim contributes to a built environment that will be carbon neutral, fully recyclable and with a positive environmental impact.
More than 50% of the group's research resources are focused on low-carbon products and solutions, says the partnership, with 40% of patents currently in this area, and: "Working across the entire construction value chain, approximately one-third of 2019 sales were in sustainable solutions and products."
