SA project uses Cement Australia's low-carbon tech

Cement producer Cement Australia, in conjunction with concrete supplier Holcim, is using GreenCem low-carbon cement technology for the first time for a commercial construction project in Adelaide.

The new technology replaces general purpose cement with up to 80% fly ash and/or slag.

Cement Australia CEO Rob Davies said GreenCem reduced embodied carbon dioxide by 30% without compromising the strength of the concrete compared with other GP cement products.

“GreenCem enables significantly higher levels of fly ash and/or slag — sourced entirely within Australia as a waste by-product from power stations and steel manufacturers — to be incorporated into our cement for concrete manufacture.”

The low-carbon cement is being used in the construction of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield’s Yitpi Yartapuultiku Cultural Centre.

“Cement Australia selected South Australia to launch this product because we feel our goals our compatible with the leadership demonstrated by the SA Government to set rigorous carbon reduction targets. We have recently completed construction of a 60-tonne silo at our Osborne facility in Adelaide to store the raw fly ash material for blending,” Davies said.

“We look forward to a wider rollout of this product across building projects in coming months.”

Davies said the development will reduce carbon emissions and help contribute towards the cement and concrete industry’s ambition for net-zero-carbon concrete by 2050.

“Our GreenCem technology is the culmination of several years of effort by our own technical team working with a NATA-accredited laboratory,” he said.

While the technology is currently only available for bulk distribution such as commercial building projects, the company is preparing to launch 20 kg bags into the retail market for smaller residential projects and private use, Davies said.

Cement Australia — a local manufacturer with a 100-plus year history — recently received a Commonwealth government grant under the Powering the Regions Fund to support upgrades which will assist in decarbonising its kiln in Railton, Tasmania. The kiln upgrades will reduce emissions by allowing for coal substitution and the diversion of waste from landfill.

Images: Supplied.