Ecocem completes first ultra-low carbon concrete pour

Ecocem has conducted the first pour of Exegy ultra-low carbon concrete in the UK in collaboration with Taylor Woodrow.
Concrete Plants, Equipment & Applications / January 17, 2022
By Liam McLoughlin
VINCI Construction and Ecocem have jointly developed the Exegy ultra-low carbon concrete solutions
VINCI Construction and Ecocem have jointly developed the Exegy ultra-low carbon concrete solutions

Ecocem is an Ireland-based provider of low carbon solutions for the cement and construction industries, and Taylor Woodrow is a leading player in the delivery of complex UK infrastructure projects.

Ecocem Ultra was developed over four years by Ecocem and VINCI Construction, a global provider of buildings, civil works, and infrastructure. The technology forms part of VINCI Construction’s Exegy ultra-low carbon concrete range, and is already being used on a pilot site of the Grand Paris Express and in the construction of the Athletes’ Village in Paris for summer 2024.

The partners say ECocem Ultra significantly reducing the CO2 footprint of any project on which it is used, and provides an alternative to the traditional cement manufacturing process.

The pour took place on EcoPark South, the first phase in North London Waste Authority’s plans to create a £1.2bn sustainable waste management hub and energy recovery facility at the existing Edmonton EcoPark. The mix used on the project reduces the carbon footprint by up to 70% when compared to traditional concrete.

Taylor Woodrow is building a new flagship resource recovery facility, public Reuse, and recycling centre, temporary bulky waste facility, and new visitor, community, and education facility as part of the project.

Ecocem has always been a first mover. For more than 20 years, the company has led the development of technology that reduces the carbon footprint of the traditional cement manufacturing process by half. Its pipeline of technology continues to be industry-leading, and the company was recently backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a coalition of private investors led by Bill Gates, supporting innovations that will lead the world to net-zero emissions.

VINCI Construction launched the global Exegy brand in 2020 to position itself as a pioneer in the development, use, and deployment of low-carbon concrete solutions worldwide. VINCI Construction has developed, jointly with Ecocem, the Exegy ultra-low carbon concrete solutions, bringing its construction know-how and innovative mindset to support the Ecocem Ultra’s European Technical Evaluation granted on October 2021.

Exegy and Ecocem rely on a network of partner plants, such as the global building materials supplier, CEMEX, which produced the Exegy Ultra-Low Carbon concrete for the pour.

Micheál McKittrick, MD Northern Europe at Ecocem, said: “Our Ecocem Ultra technology is already being used at scale in France, and we’re excited to now see it being adopted in the UK.

“The cement and construction industries are developing and deploying a range of emission reduction technologies to help the UK Government reduce emissions by 78% by 2035, and reach net zero by 2050, and Ecocem will add a further dimension to these efforts.”

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