Europe’s leading provider of low carbon solutions for the cement and construction industries, Ecocem, is set to provide its new ultra-low carbon cement to two major Paris projects – the Athletes’ Village for summer 2024 and the Grand Paris Express.
The technology – Ecocem Ultra – is an alternative to traditional cement and will significantly reduce the CO2 footprint of both projects.
For summer 2024, organisers are aiming to halve the emissions arising in relation to the Games. Ecocem Ultra is to be used in the construction of the Athletes’ Village, which will be transformed into offices and residential housing, known as the “Universeine Eco-District”, after the summer. Ecocem’s work has already begun on the site.
The new technology, which was developed by Ecocem in partnership with Vinci, one of the largest civil engineering and construction companies in the world, was used on Vinci’s new headquarters in Nanterre, Paris. Its use at the scale of the Athletes’ Village will be a first for France.
Separately, Ecocem Ultra will be used on a pilot site of the Grand Paris Express – the largest transport project in Europe. This development marks the first use of ultra-low carbon cement in a tunnel in Europe, and it is hoped that the industrial-sized trial will demonstrate the possibility and benefits of using more environmentally friendly materials in tunnels more widely going forward.
Ecocem has always been a first mover. For more than 20 years, the company has led the development of technology that reduces the carbon footprint of the traditional cement manufacturing process by half. Its pipeline of technology continues to be industry leading, and the company was recently backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a coalition of private investors led by Bill Gates, supporting innovations that will lead the world to net-zero emissions.
Susan McGarry, Managing Director of Ecocem Ireland, said: “Ecocem is committed to the deep and rapid decarbonisation of both the global and Irish cement industry and providing ultra-low carbon cement for the Athletes’ Village and Grand Paris Express is the latest development in our mission to roll our technology out around the world.
“We are delighted to be working with our long-term partner Vinci on these two landmark projects and we look forward to bringing this new innovative technology to the Irish market.”
