The company, which says it was the first in its sector to provide the solution of carbon modelling to its customers in 2007, says its Carbon Calculator has been used on some 40 projects from single loads to large complex contracts. On one power station contract, it claims it was possible to cut over 25% tonnes of CO2 using the tool.
The tool has data on the embodied CO2 of the raw materials and all Cemex plants and quarries including gas, water, fuel and electricity. The carbon emissions from transporting the material, whether by road, rail or water, are also an important factor that is included in the calculation.
Having calculated the embodied carbon in a certain type of concrete, the tool can also substitute alternative mixes, for example using CEM II instead of CEMI, Portland Cement, and alternative modes of transport, for example, using rail for part of the journey instead of road to reduce the total CO2 emissions.
“The carbon agenda is increasingly in the minds of clients, contractors and legislators. The new Carbon Footprint Calculator can offer our customers a more detailed solution of how to cut carbon but still use a high specification material. Using the tool is an element of our wider solution to advice on and provide high quality materials that are more sustainable over their entire life cycle,” says Andy Spencer, Cemex UK sustainability director.
The Carbon Footprint Calculator works to PAS 2050, a recognised method for assessing the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of goods and services.
