LafargeHolcim in Russia: "Two working solutions will help drastically reduce CO₂ emissions"

The "green" future construction was discussed at the SKOLKOVO Technopark within the framework of the Second International Forum Aluminum in Architecture and Construction, which was held from September 21^st to 23^rd with the support of Minstroy (The Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities of Russia).

At the Creating a Green Future session, Vitaly Bogachenko, Director of Corporate Relations at LafargeHolcim in Russia, said that the company plans to reduce CO₂ emissions at Holcim Group plants to 475 kg per ton by 2030. For comparison: in 2019, CO2 emissions at its plants amounted to 561 kg per ton.

"The company's task is to drastically reduce CO₂ emissions, and there are two working solutions for this," Bogachenko stressed. - The first is the use of alternative fuels obtained from different types of waste: MSW (Municipal solid waste) residues after sorting and extracting all useful fractions from them, used tires and others. The presence of biomass in waste makes such fuel neutral according to CO₂ content, so emissions in production are significantly reduced. The second solution is the substitution of carbon-intensive raw materials. For example, instead of limestone, we use slags at the plant. Due to the new composition and lower temperature during the firing process, the carbon footprint in the cement production is reduced, and the manufactured building materials are actually "green", not just by labeling."

By 2050, the company plans to become carbon neutral. LafargeHolcim Group was the first global manufacturer of building materials to commit to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 as part of the Science Based Targets initiative. This will happen, among other things, thanks to the use of the company's new products in construction – ECOPact "green" concrete and Susteno cement. Susteno contains up to 20% recycled concrete, and in the production of ECOPact, specific CO2 emissions are 30–100% lower than in the conventional concrete production.

LafargeHolcim's business is represented in four segments: production of cement, ready-mix concrete, extraction of non-metallic materials and creation of products and solutions for the construction industry.

LafargeHolcim in Russia is developing a cement business in the country, the direction of non-metallic materials and dry mixes. Currently, the company operates four cement plants, as well as three quarries for the extraction of non-metallic materials. LafargeHolcim products are used in the production of ready-mix concrete, precast concrete, light concrete products, in infrastructure construction.