Viviana Freré
JESSICA MOROCHO
Jose Remigio Palacios
Richard Mendez
Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, ESPOL
Jorge Rodriguez Rodriguez
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ECOPact is a concrete with 30% to 50% less carbon content incorporated than a standard concrete, it uses cements reduced in CO2. It has optimized mix designs and by-products such as cementitious material; Powdered limestone, from the limestone residues of the cement manufacturing process. And pozzolana, which is a silicous or silico-aluminous material, which by itself has little or no cementing value, but that finely divided and in a humid medium at ordinary temperature, chemically reacts with calcium hydroxide, forming a compound with cementing properties. It is abundant in Ecuador due to the eruptions of volcanoes, especially in the volcanic area of Latacunga.
All of these reduce carbon footprint, contribute to circular and sustainable constructions by closing material cycles and optimizing resource conservation.
In order to meet the industry's most ambitious 2030 climate targets. The business is being decarbonized, from our operations and products to the built environment.
From the ecological concrete ECOPact the first global ranges of building materials with low carbon content of the world are offered. With the broadest formulation experience in the industry, solutions are adapted to local needs enabling low-carbon construction at scale.
ECOPact - The Green Concrete, launched in July 2020. It is the widest range of green concrete in the industry, now offered in all regions of the world.
ECOPact concrete is sold in a range of low carbon levels, from 30% to 50% lower carbon emissions compared to standard concrete. ECOPact integrates recycled construction and demolition materials, further closing the resource cycle to reduce the environmental footprint.
They are manufactured with: low emission cements, selected aggregates, admixtures, water and special additives. The electrical energy used in manufacturing comes from renewable sources, including some of them located in the concrete plant itself.
CO2 emissions have been determined, taking into account the emissions associated with: raw materials: cement, aggregates, additions and additives. As well as transportation from the ready mix concrete plant to the jobsite.
Developing green solutions like ECOPact is part of Holcim's strategy to accelerate and lead the transition to more sustainable and innovative building materials for greener construction.
"Promote the circular economy in everything we do, to keep materials in use for as long as possible, giving them a second, third and fourth life, using only what is necessary to preserve nature." J. Mosquera
"I dream that nature and buildings can coexist in the same space. See not only gray colors in the city and large buildings, but also vegetation, animals, smart buildings and green at the same time." J. Mosquera
Believe in the construction of progress for people and the planet, the advancement of society and the elevation of communities. Wanting to play an even bigger role. That's why they are inventing the way the world is moving our way to become a zero net company.
The world is growing, and the world's population is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050. The future is increasingly urban, and 70% of people are expected to live in cities by then. With 1.6 billion people lacking adequate shelter and sanitation, livable cities that work for everyone need to be built.
"We want to be part of the solution, united with the vision of being the world leader in innovative and sustainable construction solutions, we play an essential role in accelerating the world's transition towards a net zero and more inclusive future."
"Luckily our clients trust us and our competitors also see us as a leader and will want to do the same as us, that's good, because in a short time everyone will want to make green concrete." J. Mosquera
Driven by their purpose to create progress for people and the planet, they are at the forefront of green building solutions.
Making cities greener from the ground up to the rooftop with low carbon and energy efficient solutions. With smarter infrastructure, from green mobility and renewable energy to essential sanitation. Improving living standards for all, with affordable and sustainable solutions.
The depletion of natural resources, as well as the large generation of waste, is one of the issues with the greatest environmental risk. Economic models based on production, use and throw away are increasingly being questioned today because they become unsustainable in the future.
In this sense, the transition towards a circular economy is presented as the answer to these important challenges, later in the efficiency and sustainability of natural resources and in the need for fundamental changes throughout the value chain.
With ECOPact, the company takes a step further towards carbon neutrality, in its commitment to contribute to the fight against climate change aligned with the Group's “Net Zero” (net zero emissions) objectives for 2030.
The idea is that in less than a decade all concrete sales will be achieved with these low-emission products. Perhaps in Latin America it will cost a little more, because there is still little awareness about the importance of sustainable construction. In the country, there are about only 20 structures that have international certifications for sustainable construction, 12 works are in process. It might seem like a small number, however, it is a sign of the seriousness with which local builders have taken the banner of respect for the environment.
And it is not for less, since buildings represent 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions and constitute 36% of world energy consumption, according to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
There is demand today because of National Government also joins the sustainable trend. To do this, it launched an initiative aimed at producing companies in the country: Agreement for Competitiveness, Employment and Innovation; Sustainability and Climate Change, directly related to the Circular Economy, and is based on 9 key points:
Use and industrialization of waste
Eco-Design
Link with the Academy
Clean production
Sustainable and resilient infrastructure
Education
Sustainable business
Progressive replacement
The agreement will initially have a duration of 5 years from its promulgation, seeking to promote the industry of compostable and biodegradable substitutes. With the expansion in the market of this green concrete, the transition towards more sustainable building materials for a greener construction has been promoted.
With the launch of ECOPact throughout the Americas, the company makes a significant contribution to sustainable construction, where it sells approximately 15 million m3 of ready-mixed concrete each year.
It has opened the doors to win housing projects, as it is the first range of green or ecological concrete, which is why it is currently the only concrete manufacturer in the world that offers an ecological concrete solution.
For this reason, it had a fast adoption in the private construction market, since there is a public that is looking for sustainable housing and this concrete has competitive prices in the range of environmentally friendly materials. These competitive advantages have added more value to the product in the estate sector.
With solutions such as ECOPact, the commitment to the design of low-carbon building materials is reaffirmed so that its customers can differentiate themselves in a market with increasingly more environmental demands. Promoting them to take another step in their commitment to caring the environment by closing an agreement with Holcim to supply its low-emission concrete for circular, sustainable and high-performance constructions.
In Ecuador, by 2021 several real estate projects were won, due to the condition of the green concrete, in that year sales exceed $ 3 million and more than 35 thousand cubic meters of concrete, whose sales were destined 70% to housing projects
ECOPact reduces the carbon footprint of buildings, conserving resources, and contributing to the certifications of sustainable buildings.
Each cubic meter of ECOPact used in the construction of an average home reduces emissions by 2.1 tons of CO₂, which is the equivalent of the average carbon emissions of that home over six months. In larger projects such as an average building where up to 20,000 m3 of concrete are placed, the reduction that can be achieved with ECOPact is equivalent to eliminating the emissions of 200,000 gallons of gasoline.
It recycles fresh concrete and uses wastewater as part of a standard procedure in its ready-mix concrete production plants to preserve natural resources.
The ECOPact range of concrete presents a performance comparable or even superior to conventional concretes so it can be used in any element such as foundations, walls, columns, slabs and beams.
In this sense, innovation has driven the entire construction sector towards the search for sustainable construction. It has encouraged the best proposals to be those that promote care for the environment and sustainability, to build a greener city.
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Jacob Mosquera, Innovation and Development Supervisor
Jacob Mosquera, Innovation and Development Supervisor
Holcim Ecuador is a leader in the construction industry, in the production of cement, concrete and aggregates. They offer innovative and comprehensive solutions, tailored to market needs, with a commitment to sustainable development and the creation of shared value for society.