The industry sector in Spain faces the challenge of reducing its carbon footprint, moving forward to circularity and using cement, concrete and steel with less environmental impact.
David Gómez, head of the Sustainable Construction, Technical Assistance and Prescription department at Holcim, assures that the materials of the future are already here. Likewise, he mentions that the focus of the industry is none other than “developing more durable, resilient buildings with a lower carbon footprint”, which is why all the actors involved must participate and contribute to reducing the consumption of resources and commit to circularity as a basic principle of this industry.
It is important to highlight that this innovation is not about “futuristic materials”, but about existing solutions that have evolved considerably after decades of research,” explains Gómez. He highlights cement, concrete and mortar as elements that, although often underestimated or even undervalued, have achieved a notable reduction in their environmental impact during their manufacture.
A recent example of its use is found in the expansion works of the port of Cadiz, for which Acciona has used 48,000 tons of concrete made with low carbon footprint cement produced by Holcim. The result is a 27% reduction in CO2 emissions thanks to the use of recycled materials, lower energy consumption and a decrease in clinker content.
In addition to cement, widely used materials such as aluminum and steel also have high energy consumption. In all three cases, fundamental innovation efforts are still required to meet the challenge of decarbonizing the sector by 2050, says Alfons Ventura, a materials expert in the Development and Content Department of the Green Building Council of Spain.
Although many of the best practices are already available on the market, the offer of low environmental impact solutions must be increased to cover all products sold.
Ventura highlights the effect that the new energy efficiency directive will have on buildings, which will soon include the calculation of the carbon footprint throughout the life cycle of materials and will impose limits on the emissions incorporated in their production in 2030. Similarly, the new construction products regulation will require environmental information on all materials circulating in the European Union.
According to Gómez, this regulatory framework is essential for Spain to talk with the expected confidence about the substitution of materials and solutions for low-carbon alternatives. In other European countries, this is already a reality, with regulations that allow the incorporation of fine aggregates of recycled construction materials in the production of cement, favoring more circular infrastructures. However, he points out that Spain still has a long way to go. Although the country is a world leader in infrastructure, the challenge of sustainability remains especially challenging for the sector, since it involves all the actors in the value chain.
This perspective does not prevent national construction companies from making progress in this field, as is the case with Sacyr. According to one of its specialists, the company applies a “business policy aligned with the circular economy”, through a model that seeks to optimize the use of resources, prevent the generation of waste and appraise those that cannot be managed.
An example of this initiative is the reuse of used tires to obtain rubber, which in turn is used in the manufacture of insulation, where 6,000 square meters of this material were used in the construction of the section of Y Vazca between Hernani and Astigarraga, completed last year.
Spain is moving towards more sustainable construction thanks to innovation, improved regulations and the use of materials with a lower environmental impact. With a focus on circularity and decarbonization, the sector continues to evolve to build a more efficient and environmentally friendly future.
Source: elpais.com
