The Austrian Cement Industry Association (VÖZ) is pursuing ambitious climate protection goals, focusing on investments in Austria to strengthen its position as an industrial location.
Securing Austria as an Industrial Hub
As a CO2-intensive sector, we have been addressing our responsibilities for years. The Austrian cement industry is fully committed to contributing to climate protection. As a ‘hard to abate’ industry, CO2 capture, utilization, and storage are the most significant challenges for our company. “Political support is imperative for a CO2-free industrial production landscape in Austria,” says Berthold Kren. “We specifically require robust infrastructure for renewable electricity expansion, as well as for CO2 and hydrogen transportation and storage,” adds Sebastian Spaun, Managing Director of VÖZ. “Countries like Norway and Denmark are already ahead, benefiting from better conditions and substantial subsidies. Austria must not fall behind,” warns Kren.
A key focus of the Austrian cement industry is further reducing CO2 emissions in cement production, which currently accounts for around three percent of Austria’s emissions. Austria holds the record for the lowest CO2 footprint per ton of cement produced globally. VÖZ members are actively working on climate protection and a circular economy: “A green transformation requires a collective effort from the construction industry, clients, and policymakers,” urges Spaun. The construction industry is ready to adopt CO2-reduced cement. “What we urgently need are pioneering projects for climate-friendly CEM-II/C cement and leading examples from public clients.”
Record Levels in Circular Economy
In 2023, the Austrian cement industry achieved sales of €612 million, a 2.2% increase from 2022. However, production decreased by 15.2% to around 4.42 million tonnes, reflecting a downturn in the construction sector, particularly in large-scale residential and private new construction projects. The industry has significantly reduced its reliance on fossil fuels, decreasing the use of conventional fuels by 27.6% and increasing the substitution fuel rate to 85%. “These figures show we are on the right track: this is the highest value since our commitment to resource conservation began over 30 years ago,” explains Spaun. CO2 emissions decreased by 15.4% to 2.26 million tons, with emissions per ton of cement dropping from 521 to 503 kg of CO2, a 3.45% reduction. In 2023, €17.8 million was invested in environmental protection measures. “Our contribution to the circular economy is at a record high: 525 kg of secondary materials were used per ton of cement produced, marking a 10% increase in resource conservation,” notes Kren.
Climate-Friendly Green Cement as a Decarbonization Tool
Developing new, climate-friendly green cement is essential for advancing the circular economy and climate protection. VÖZ, along with its member plants and Smart Minerals GmbH, has developed climate-friendly CEM-II/C cement, with 16 types of cement receiving structural approval from the Austrian Institute for Construction Technology. Demonstration projects, like the Adnet elementary school and a school in Graz Reininghaus, show that these cements are effective, cost-neutral, and significantly reduce CO2 emissions, receiving positive feedback from builders.
Leading the Way with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)
In the future, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) will be crucial for the construction industry to transparently present the environmental impact of products throughout their life cycle. The cement industry is ahead, with emissions and environmental data spanning 37 years. “We have published these data consistently, covering 90% of what’s needed for an EPD,” says Spaun.
Save the Date: Colloquium on November 4, 2024
This year’s VÖZ colloquium will highlight recent research and development in cement and concrete, featuring a keynote by Horst-Michael Ludwig from the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. The panel discussion will focus on future climate-resilient construction, with additional talks on the climate protection potential in cement production and sustainability in concrete construction.
Wolfganggasse Life Campus: A Showcase of Green Cement in Social Housing
Accelerating the green transformation requires multiple efforts and perseverance. “We at VÖZ have experienced this with component activation technology, which is now thriving 15 years after initial pilot projects,” says Spaun. The Lebenscampus Wolfganggasse project exemplifies the successful integration of component activation in social housing, offering affordable housing, educational, and care facilities, while utilizing innovative building technology. “With rents around eight euros per square meter and low operating costs, the campus demonstrates the economic sustainability of using green cement in construction,” explains Reinhard Egger, Managing Director of Gerstl Bau. The use of reinforced and precast concrete elements with green cement, extensive green roofs, and water-permeable concrete surfaces highlights the project’s commitment to sustainable, climate-friendly construction…LEARN MORE
Green Cement is in every way better than Portland ™
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