During the 65th Brazilian Concrete Congress, the chairman of ABCP (Brazilian Association of Portland Cement) and SNIC (National Union of the Cement Industry), Paulo Camillo Penna, addressed the guidelines and proposals for the sustainable future of the cement industry in Brazil. The event took place between October 22 and 25, 2024, in Maceió (AL).
Paulo began the speech by talking about the need to unite the entire concrete production chain with regard to the construction technology, technical standardization, good practices, sustainability and trends in the sector. “All these topics that I mentioned, I can guarantee, are also part of the priority agenda of ABCP and the industry”, said the chairman, highlighting that these challenges and innovations are key for the future of construction in the country.
The Quality and Sustainability Journey of the Brazilian Cement Industry
Paulo Camillo Penna highlighted the sector’s commitment to the quality and durability of concrete structures in Brazil, a process that began in the 70s, when Ibracon (Brazilian Institute of Engineering Evaluations and Expertise) was created. He said: “As members of the same production chain, many here know the trajectory of the Brazilian cement industry, which over the years has demonstrated a commitment to the quality of construction and today is a world reference in this regard.”
Penna pointed out that, currently, the Brazilian cement industry is among the 10 largest and is proud to be one of the most eco-efficient in the world. According to the GCCA (Global Cement and Concrete Association), the cement industry accounts for about 7% of global CO₂ emissions. In Brazil, nevertheless, the sector’s contribution to national emissions is much smaller, representing only 2.3%, approximately a third of the world average.
The Technology Roadmap and the Road to Decarbonization
The chairman of ABCP also referred to the Cement Technological Roadmap, launched in 2019, which outlined the actions of the Brazilian industry to further reduce its CO₂ emissions by 2050.
Among the strategies mentioned, the use of additives in cement and the transition to alternative fuels, such as industrial and urban waste, are essential. “The use of this waste not only avoids the consumption of fossil fuels, but also contributes to reducing the need for landfills. In 2022, the use of waste represented 30% of the industry’s energy matrix, anticipating by three years the goal originally set for 2025,” he said.
From Roadmap to Net Zero Roadmap
Regarding the evolution of the sector, Penna announced that the cement industry is taking a leap towards the guidelines outlined by the Net Zero Roadmap, which aims to decarbonize not only the cement production, but the entire concrete construction chain. “The sector has advanced to the Net Zero Roadmap, following an initiative by the GCCA. The purpose is to achieve decarbonization from the design of structures and definition of construction systems to recarbonation,” he said.
He also mentioned that reducing carbon emissions will be a collective challenge, which will require “the union of the entire production chain, the involvement of governments and society, as well as investments in infrastructure and a stable economy.” For him, innovation is the way to face this challenge. “There is no possibility of advancing in this challenge without producing new cements and with a market that does not use construction systems that bring about a lower environmental impact,” he said.
Concrete in Infrastructure and Social Housing
Another important point addressed was the sustainable potential of concrete in infrastructure and the housing sector. “Concrete offers great opportunities for improving our infrastructure, especially in the pavement of highways and urban roads,” said the chairman, highlighting the PAVI+ initiative, launched by ABCP.
PAVI+ is a paving community that aims to integrate all agents in the sector, sharing challenges and solutions to improve the quality of roads in Brazil.
Regarding housing, Penna also highlighted the growing use of concrete to solve the housing deficit. “Systems such as concrete walls and structural masonry with concrete blocks have conquered a significant share of the affordable housing market, especially under the Minha Casa Minha Vida Program,” he said.
Innovation in the Sector: The HubIC and Digital Construction
Penna also made a point of highlighting the partnership between ABCP, SNIC and the Polytechnic School of USP, which, in 2020, founded hubIC — Innovation and Digital Construction. This hub aims to support the research and development of new construction techniques and sustainable technologies for civil construction. Penna explained: “ hubIC is a partnership that involves the adhesion of several companies and develops sustainable projects, of interest to both companies and academia and society”.
He further mentioned three important projects underway at hubIC:
- 1. Development of a new type of cement, with functional additives, that maintains the performance of ordinary Portland cement, but with a lower carbon footprint.
- 2. Predictive methods for concrete structures with the help of Artificial Intelligence, aiming to create resistance prediction models without the need for destructive testing.
- 3. 3D printing of concrete parts, which eliminates the need for formwork and allows the construction of more complex elements with less material use, without compromising structural performance.
“We are creating an Innovation Project Factory in a sector that is not very accustomed to change. One of the indicators of the success of this joint journey is the value of the projects, which has already exceeded the value of the initial agreement”, said Penna, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between companies and research institutions.
He also mentioned the Rede More project, which connects the issue of social housing to the low-carbon economy, with the aim of developing a method to monitor the consumption of materials and the CO₂ footprint of built housing.
The Decarbonized and Circular Economy
With these guidelines and actions, ABCP and the cement industry demonstrate their commitment to leading a sustainable and innovative movement for the construction sector in Brazil and worldwide. “These are just a few examples of the path that the industry has taken towards a decarbonized and circular economy, supported by sustainable technological development,” he concluded.
Next meeting of the sector: 9th Brazilian Cement Congress
These breakthroughs are part of the sustainable agenda of the cement industry and the concrete construction in Brazil, and all these topics will be debated in more depth at the 9th Brazilian Cement Congress (CBCi) in 2025, where industry experts will meet to explore the industry’s innovations and challenges. The event is taking place from June 30 to July 2, at the Golden Hall WTC, in São Paulo.