Ecocem Tackles Issue Of Embodied CO2 Emissions

Ecocem manufactures Ground Granulated Blastfurnace Slag (GGBS), a 100% recycled material, transforming an industrial by-product into one of the world’s most sustainable building materials.

A lot of focus to date has been on the reduction of the operational CO2 of buildings or structures. This is being tackled through insulation, improved glazing, airtightness, solar panels, biomass burners and so on, at a significant cost, which might then get you from a C1 to an A2 rating, and a corresponding saving of 3 tonnes of CO2 per annum. Those who wish to design sustainable developments must consider both the embodied CO2 and the operational CO2. Failure to do this will result in millions of tonnes of lost savings and further damage to our planet. Embodied CO2 emissions, which are released in the manufacture and supply of construction materials, are a major source of carbon in the built environment, due to the energy-intensive nature behind the manufacturing process of many types of construction materials. In Ireland, embodied CO2 accounts for around 10–15% of our national emissions. One of the biggest contributing factors in the embodied CO2 of concrete is the manufacture and use of traditional Portland cement. However, the use of alternative cements such as Ground Granulated Blastfurnace Slag (GGBS) can lead to significant reductions in the embodied carbon footprint of construction projects. Made from a recycled material, Ecocem’s GGBS has almost zero embodied CO2. Using GGBS as a partial replacement for Portland cement can yield a significant improvement in the environmental performance of concrete. While buildings can be retrofitted to improve the operational CO2 savings, embodied CO2 savings can only be made during construction – so it’s important to maximise the savings from day one. Using GGBS means you are using one of the most sustainable building materials in the world. The current concrete standard in Ireland allows the replacement of traditional cements with up to 70% GGBS, creating an opportunity for savings to be made through the specification and use of Ecocem’s GGBS on a range of construction projects. The use of GGBS can make an important contribution to achieving Ireland’s European and international obligations to reduce pollution – so what are we waiting for? Ecocem invite you to try their calculator and find out about the savings you can make on your next project – even if you are only ever going to build one house you can save over 10 tonnes of CO2 on that project, the equivalent of leaving your car at home for over three years. In addition to the many environmental benefits concrete made with Ecocem GGBS cement is stronger, more durable and will give you a lighter coloured better finished concrete. For further information, please visit www.ecocem.ie