Research network ties industry, scientific institutions

Source: Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), London

GCCA has formed Innovandi, the Global Cement and Concrete Research Network, aiming to drive innovation with actionable findings and build on the industry’s sustainability advances since 1990—among them an 18.3 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions per ton of cementitious material and eight-fold increase in the use of fossil fuel alternatives for portland cement production. The initiative was launched October 10 during the GCCA Annual Conference in Singapore. 

“Our industry is fully committed to taking action to reduce CO2 emissions,” says GCCA CEO Benjamin Sporton. “As such, Innovandi is an industry-led initiative and will bring together the best minds from all corners of the cement and concrete world, academia and business. We will collaborate on a global scale and use our expertise to find new ways of working and developing effective innovations. This will really help to ensure that concrete becomes the sustainable building material of choice for the future needs of the world.”

Network stakeholders intend to research areas of products and process technology, the latter including impact of co-processing, clinker production efficiency, plus carbon capture strategies. GCCA members and research institutions will especially focus on clinker substitutes and alternative binders in concrete; low carbon concrete technology; and, improved understanding of CO2 reduction through re-carbonation in structures and slabs.

“The industry has a long and proud history of innovation, and of research and development, whether from within the sector or through academic institutions. Innovandi will accelerate that good work and bring the smart thinking more closely together,” notes GCCA Innovation Working Group Co-Chair and HeidelbergCement AG Director of Global Research & Development Wolfgang Dienemann.

GCCA will establish an Innovandi gathering in conjunction with the annual conference. Along with HeidelbergCement, charter network participants include the parent companies of key North American cement and admixture players: Buzzi Unicem, Cementos Argos, Cemex S.A.B. de C.V., Chryso, CRH Plc, Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua, GCP Applied Technologies, Mapei, LafargeHolcim Ltd., Sika AG, Titan Cement and Votorantim Cimentos.