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Holcim


Holcim US Elevates Sustainability in Colorado with Rollout of ECOPact Low-Carbon Concrete

  • Expansion of ECOPact concrete in Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo will reduce the global warming potential of building materials.
  • Innovative concrete designs support Colorado’s ambitious climate action plans and the Buy Clean Colorado Act.

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Decarbonizing the nation’s ever-expanding urban built environment to stabilize global warming and the impact of population growth is more urgent than ever. The state of Colorado is pursuing one of the nation’s most ambitious climate action plans, working toward reduced emission targets of 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050.

To help the construction industry meet these evolving standards, Holcim US is expanding its innovative ECOPact low-carbon concrete to the fast-growing Colorado Springs, Denver and Pueblo markets. ECOPact reduces the embodied carbon of concrete building materials from 30% to 90%, compared with standard concrete, and its global warming potential (GWP) is verified in an environmental product declaration (EPD).

“Sustainable construction is essential to building a net-zero future in Colorado and across the nation,” said Kevin Peart, SVP and general manager, Mountain Region, at Holcim US. “Metro Denver has consistently ranked as one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation, and Colorado Springs is projected to become the state’s largest city within the next 15 years. Low-carbon, high-performance building solutions such as ECOPact are essential to mitigating climate change and creating a more sustainable, resilient urban landscape.”

Colorado’s new Buy Clean Colorado Act aims to meet bold emission-reduction goals by using EPDs to drive the use of low-embodied-carbon materials. The model green-building legislation mandates the submission of EPDs and requires the office of the state architect to establish maximum acceptable GWPs for all construction materials used in public projects.

From university and health care facilities to condominiums and industrial buildings, ECOPact low-carbon concrete has increasingly been the solution of choice for reducing the embodied carbon of high-performance buildings throughout the northeastern, mid-Atlantic and north-central regions of the U.S.

ECOPact low-carbon concrete mixes are now part of job sites throughout Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo, to meet stringent structural performance specifications aligned with high standards of sustainability. Compliant with all industry standards, the concrete is available in a wide range of low-carbon levels and strength classes, and it can be used in all types of applications, regardless of performance requirements.

About Holcim US

Holcim is a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions. Driven by its purpose to build progress for people and the planet, its 60,000 employees are on a mission to decarbonize building, while improving living standards for all. The company empowers its customers across all regions to build better with less, with its broad range of low-carbon and circular solutions, from ECOPact to ECOPlanet. With its innovative systems, from Elevate’s roofing to PRB’s insulation, Holcim makes buildings more sustainable in use, driving energy efficiency and green retrofitting. With sustainability at the core of its strategy, Holcim is becoming a net-zero company with 1.5°C targets validated by SBTi.

In the United States, Holcim US includes nearly 350 sites in 43 states and employs 7,000 people. Our customers rely on us to help them design and build better communities with innovative solutions that deliver structural integrity and eco-efficiency. To learn more, visit holcim.us.

Contacts

Meredith Castro
Holcim
Meredith.Castro@holcim.com

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Ankita Gangotra, Associate, WRI

Dr. Ankita Gangotra Associate, WRI United States Dr. Ankita Gangotra is an Associate in WRI’s US Climate Program, researching avenues to decarbonize the industrial sector, focusing on cement and steel decarbonization, environmental trade policies and international cooperation. Prior to joining WRI, Ankita was a postdoctoral research fellow in the School of Foreign Service and the Department of Physics at Georgetown University. Her research looked at the readily available technology and policy options for upgrading low-carbon cement production in the United States. Ankita has an integrated Master's in Electronics Engineering with Nanotechnology from the University of York, UK (2015) and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Auckland, New Zealand (2020). During her time in New Zealand, Ankita interned at the Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor looking into equity, diversity and inclusion policy options for New Zealand’s science, research and innovation workforce.

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