MECLA Working
Group 5b - Concrete & Cement
Working Group 5b – Concrete & Cement (WG5b) has two key objectives. Firstly, facilitating collaboration and knowledge transfer for accelerating the recognised pathways for decarbonisation of the sector. Secondly, advocating on the behalf of the sector to mitigate the recognised problems in the decarbonisation pathways. Dr. Ali Kashani, Senior Lecturer concrete and 3D printing at UNSW and Evan Smith, National Sustainability Lead at Holcim co-chair the working group.
"Our working group has been successful in providing an environment for information dissemination from experts to help the industry digest the recognised decarbonisation pathways towards cement and concrete decarbonisation by 2050. In order to successfully implement all the recognised pathways, our working group aims to bring together the stakeholders from both the supply side and demand side and everyone in between including: experts from cement, concrete, construction, governments, designers, architects, consultants, researchers, end clients, asset owners and policymakers. This is a unique opportunity to connect the concrete and cement supply chain and to identify and address any roadblocks and barriers to increasing the using and specification of low carbon concrete"
Ali Kashani
Senior Lecturer Concrete & 3D printing, UNSW
Evan Smith
National Sustainability Lead, Holcim Pty Ltd
Past Concrete and Cement Spotlights
Some pathways to decarbonising the concrete and cement can be readily implemented because the knowledge is available and accessible. Other pathways are rather new to the sector, the knowledge is limited, and the technology has not yet matured. WG5b helps guide industry through knowledge building and collaboration across the supply chain. This includes hosting Spotlight events on Concrete & Cement. WG5b has hosted 2 Spotlights so far:
14 March 2022 | Ensuring a sustainable future through signficant regulatory, technological, structural and behavioural changes across the entire concrete and cement value chain
13 October 2022 | How low carbon concrete is already being used in Australian building projects, and how – as a key value- add proposition and competitive advantage – low carbon concrete is fast becoming the new expected minimum in construction projects
You can view their past Spotlight Events below, WG5b is expected to be coordinating another later this year.
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