The UK has launched the world’s first zero-emissions cement industrial trial, aptly named Cement 2 Zero, which has secured £6.5m of government funding from UKRI as part of the Transforming Foundation Industries Challenge. The trial aims to advance the decarbonisation efforts of the construction, cement and steel sectors to create net zero industries of the future, helping to meet the net-zero by 2050 initiative.
EFC, or Earth Friendly Concrete, is cement-free concrete that typically results in a carbon reduction of 75% to 87% when compared to traditional concrete mixes. It consists of a geopolymer binding agent that is produced from the chemical activation of blast furnace slag and fly ash rather than OPC (ordinary Portland cement). As such, Earth Friendly Concrete may help to minimise the carbon impact of concrete used in construction projects.
In construction, concrete is used to form the foundations, columns, beams, slabs and other load-bearing elements. Today’s concrete is strong, durable, versatile and economical but it doesn’t compare to concrete from the Roman era. A recent discovery may be able to provide the answer to why it was so much stronger.
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