An Australian-first partnership for Holcim
Calcined clay now in use as a concrete supplement, significantly lowering carbon content for Victorian customers
Holcim is the first commercial supplier of low carbon concrete that contains calcined clay in Australia, with five of its Melbourne plants now delivering the mix to customers.
Introducing calcined clay as a supplement is an innovation that has the potential to future-proof the concrete materials industry. Widespread use of this new supplement would further reduce the sector’s reliance on fly ash and slag, two materials that will decline in availability as renewable energy ramps up and heavy industry prioritises decarbonisation.
With a long history as a leader in sustainable construction materials and solutions, Holcim has already supplied concrete containing calcined clay to major projects in Victoria. In partnership with Green360 Technologies, more than 2,000 cubic metres has been used in non-structural works, most of which has been placed by Suburban Connect during construction of the Suburban Rail Loop.
“Demand for high performance, sustainable construction materials continues to grow nationally, and that demand is particularly strong in Victoria where we’ve been supplying lower carbon concrete products to major infrastructure projects for more than a decade,” said George Agriogiannis, Chief Executive Officer, Holcim Australia & New Zealand.
Calcined clay replaces a portion of the cement in Holcim's low carbon concrete. Because cement is the most carbon-intensive component in concrete, substituting it with a lower-carbon supplement reduces the overall footprint of every cubic metre delivered.
This partnership is a positive step that has the potential to benefit our whole sector and we are delighted that Holcim can bring this breakthrough solution to our clients.
