Ontario Construction News staff writer
LafargeHolcim says it has joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) “Business Ambition for 1.5°C”, becoming the first global building materials company to sign the pledge with intermediate targets for 2030, validated by SBTi.
“This commitment builds on LafargeHolcim’s leadership in green construction with cutting-edge solutions such as ECOPact, its green concrete, and Susteno, its leading circular cement,” the international company said Monday in as statement datelined from Zurich, Switzerland.
In its 2030 goals, LafargeHolcim is further lowering its target for CO2 intensity in cement to 475kg net CO2 per ton of cementitious material (net CO2/t.cem.). Europe is on track to become the first region to reach this net zero ambition, building on its CHF 160 million investment roadmap launched last year.
Going one step further, LafargeHolcim says it is partnering with SBTi to develop a roadmap for aligning climate targets to a 1.5°C future in the cement sector, pushing the boundaries of green construction.
“We need more than good intentions to make a difference in sustainability,” said David Redfern, CEO Lafarge Eastern Canada. “We need science, strategic partners and operational goals.
“LafargeHolcim’s Net Zero Pledge with the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a global collaboration between the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) highlights our leadership in sustainability in the construction materials sector.”
“I believe in building a world that works for people and the planet,” said LafargeHolcim CEO Jan Jenisch. “That’s why we are reinventing how the world builds today to make it greener with low-carbon and circular solutions. I am very excited to be working with SBTi, taking a rigorous science-based approach to shape our net zero roadmap and accelerating our efforts to substantially lower our CO2 footprint. I will not stop pushing the boundaries to lead the way in green construction.”
The SBTi has approved LafargeHolcim’s commitment to reduce scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions 21% per ton of cementitious materials by 2030 from a 2018 base year. With this target, LafargeHolcim commits to reduce scope 1 GHG emissions 17.5% per ton of cementitious material and scope 2 GHG emissions 65% per ton of cementitious materials within the same timeframe.
By 2030, LafargeHolcim will:
- Accelerate the use of low-carbon and carbon-neutral products such as ECOPact and Susteno;
- Recycle 100m tons of waste and byproducts for energy and raw materials;
- Scale up the use of calcined clay and develop novel cements with new binders;
- Double waste-derived fuels in production to reach 37%;
- Reach 475 kg net CO2 per ton of cementitious material (net CO2/t.cem);
- Operate its first net zero CO2 cement production facility;
In addition to this pledge to reduce scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, LafargeHolcim says itwill expand its actions across its value chain to include scope 3 emissions. With this holistic approach LafargeHolcim will reduce its transportation and fuel-related emissions by 20% per cent.
On its net zero journey LafargeHolcim will accelerate circular construction by increasing the use of recycled materials in its products and processes while recovering materials at the end of their life cycle.
In 2019 alone, LafargeHolcim recycled 48 million tons of waste making it a world leader in waste solutions, contributing to cleaner cities while preserving earth’s finite resources.
The company will use the coming decade to develop and deploy advanced technologies, preparing the next step of its net zero journey. This includes piloting over 20 Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) projects across Europe and North America.