Construction of Tomorrow at Holcim
Construction of tomorrow is a Holcim initiative that promotes open innovation on a Group-wide basis. By drawing new connections between people and systems, and by collecting and processing the appropriate data, we are creating the materials of tomorrow.
INNOVATING WITHIN AN OPEN ECOSYSTEM TO BUILD THE FUTURE TODAY
This approach promotes innovation through collaboration between remote and interdisciplinary teams as well as through partnerships with third parties including startups, academics and customers. Connecting our experts and external stakeholders broadens perspectives of all participants and helps spread the word about our innovative projects.
STARTING TODAY TO REINVENT HOW THE WORLD BUILDS
The quest for new building materials and solutions has always been at the heart of our culture. Today more than ever, innovation is the very foundation for the construction of tomorrow. Urban areas will add two billion people in the next 25 years, and 60 of the infrastructure needed by 2050 is not yet built, so we have no choice but to find better ways to build. R&D has always been a driver of competitive advantage. Our interdisciplinary teams include chemists, physicists, engineers, architects, masons, and other experts across the globe. They collaborate to produce the cement and concrete of tomorrow, to develop innovations along our entire value chain, to innovate processes that ensure better products and services, from quarry operations to work on construction sites.
FOCUSING ON THE CHALLENGES OF TODAY
As a leader in our industry, it is our responsibility to embrace the environmental and societal challenges ahead and differentiate our offer, staying one step ahead of the game and setting tomorrow’s standards in the building materials industry. Limiting the carbon footprint of our products and reducing CO2 emissions from manufacturing is the only way to innovate. We do not believe in miracle solutions – what we believe in is a collective effort to invent and implement the array of solutions that will drive the transition that is now upon us.
As we build the future today, these ambitions are what drive our research and innovation.
Environment. The optimization of natural resource use and advances in carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) technologies are two key levers to lower CO2 emissions. We offer a broad portfolio of sustainable solutions and operate over 20 pilot projects that evaluate and test CCUS.
Next generation construction. We develop and offer digital solutions and services to streamline overall project management, from design to construction. This includes the use of innovative systems that increase automated processes and machinery, from quarry operations to construction sites.
Augmented concrete. We look for new ways to enhance the properties of cement-based materials, pushing the boundaries beyond the core aspect of structural integrity. And for existing solutions, we evaluate solutions to monitor, test and adjust the quality of materials across the supply chain. For example, this can be done with sensors that monitor temperature and predict concrete strength.
Predicting performance We also work on predictive models that can optimize the performance of building materials and the efficiency of work on construction sites. Digital solutions, for example, can help us anticipate the need for specific materials and quantities.
See our portfolio of sustainable products and services
See our latest 3D printing concrete project
Read more about innovation and sustainability at Holcim on www.holcim.com
