CarbiCrete, Aecon, and Lafarge Canada have celebrated the completion of the first structure built with innovative cement-free concrete masonry units (CMUs) in Ontario, Canada.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony, which took place at Aecon's Innovation and Training Centre in Holland Landing, with representatives from CarbiCrete, Aecon, and Innocon, a subsidiary of Lafarge Canada, marked a significant milestone in low-carbon construction practices.
The new building, intended for tool storage at Aecon's training facility, utilises CarbiCrete's CMUs, which according to the company's Environmental Product Declaration, have a global warming potential 20 times lower than the industry average.
This reduction is achieved through a process that eliminates the need for cement, traditionally a significant source of emissions, and instead mineralises carbon dioxide within the concrete.
Aecon's commitment to sustainability is evident in the project, providing a practical example of how low-carbon solutions such as CarbiCrete's cement-free products and Lafarge Canada's ECOpact concrete can be implemented in the construction industry.
This collaboration has set a new benchmark for the sector, demonstrating the viability of sustainable construction materials.
The technology behind CarbiCrete's CMUs involves using a byproduct from steel-making to replace cement in the concrete mix, which not only reduces emissions but also permanently stores carbon dioxide.
Looking ahead, CarbiCrete's products are set to be commercially available in Ontario by early 2025 through Canal Block, a masonry producer based in Port Colborne. This availability is expected to further encourage the use of low-carbon construction materials across the region.
CarbiCrete chief executive officer Jacob Homiller said: "The use of low-carbon concrete represents the single greatest opportunity to reduce embodied carbon in the built environment. We're pleased to be collaborating with the innovative teams at Aecon and Lafarge Canada to decarbonise the construction sector."
Aecon Sustainability vice-president Prabh K Banga said: "We are excited to collaborate with Lafarge and CarbiCrete in testing low-carbon concrete and cement-free concrete blocks, taking an important step toward advancing sustainability in the construction industry.
"By combining our expertise, we are not only pushing the boundaries of innovation but also addressing the pressing challenges of carbon emissions in the built environment."
