In Boston, two pioneering firms have embarked on a groundbreaking endeavor, laying the foundations of a large building using zero-carbon cement mixture made in the United States.
This marks one of the first real-world applications of this cutting-edge technology, signaling a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions in the construction industry.
While many companies are exploring low or zero-carbon cement and concrete to mitigate their environmental impact, few have fully embraced it for large-scale construction projects.
However, Sublime Systems, the manufacturer behind the innovative cement mixture, has just been recognized by Fast Company Magazine as one of the Most Innovative Companies in Sustainability for 2024.
Sublime Systems employs an electrochemical process to produce cement for ready-mix products, eliminating the need for the energy-intensive kiln used in traditional cement production.
This shift is crucial as traditional cement production is responsible for approximately 5% of all man-made carbon emissions worldwide, with over a billion tonnes of cement produced annually. They heat the mixture to over 1,300°C, contributing to around 5% of all man-made carbon emissions worldwide, according to The Economist.
By eliminating the kiln from the equation, Sublime Systems has effectively reduced the carbon footprint associated with cement production. This breakthrough technology is now being put into practice in the Greater Boston Area, where Boston Sand & Gravel is supplying Turner Construction Co. with ready-mix cement containing Sublime Systems’ product for the construction of a large building.
Sublime Systems’ CEO, Leah Ellis, told Engineering News Record, “It’s going to be in that building for decades to come.”
“It really was the culmination of a lot of effort to see it not just being done for testing’s sake, but actually, replacing cement that would otherwise have been the carbon-intensive variety,” Ellis adds.
The successful use of this zero-carbon cement mixture in real-world construction not only reduces the carbon emissions of the new building but also validates the efficacy of Sublime Systems’ product.
The cement was transported to the site in a ready-mix concrete truck, maintained its malleability during transit, was poured out of the concrete truck and into a hose, and was successfully delivered to the setting where it stuck and hardened, mirroring the process of traditional cement.
A Turner estimator and the preconstruction manager on the Boston-area project, David Robb, told ENR, “In the grand scheme of things, it was, really, very boring for construction.”
“But it’s a huge step in terms of our embodied carbon reduction goals that we’re striving toward in the future here at Turner,” he adds.
This milestone has attracted significant attention from both government funding and private investment. Sublime Systems appears poised to spearhead a revolution in the cement industry, with plans underway to build its first full-scale manufacturing facility in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
This facility will further cement the company’s position as a leader in sustainable cement production and accelerate the adoption of zero-carbon technologies in the construction sector.
The implications of this development are profound. By embracing zero-carbon cement, the construction industry can significantly reduce its environmental impact without compromising on performance or functionality.
As more companies follow suit and adopt sustainable practices, the industry as a whole moves closer to achieving carbon neutrality and mitigating the effects of climate change.
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