Greening Up Canada’s Concrete for a More Sustainable Future

Concrete is everywhere in our homes, roads, schools, and bridges. But making it comes at a big cost. Cement, the key ingredient, contributes about 7% of global CO₂ emissions. In Canada, cement production alone accounted for 9.7 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2020, roughly 1.4% of the country’s total emissions.

Check out our in-depth article, Greening Canada’s Concrete: Cement Emissions, Innovations, and Alternatives, by Lark Scientific Researcher Denis Koshelev.

The good news? Canada is taking bold steps to make concrete cleaner and greener. 

Canada’s Plan for Cleaner, Green Concrete

Canada has launched the Cement & Concrete Breakthrough initiative alongside the UAE. This global effort aims to make low-carbon cement the norm by 2050.

At home, the ConcreteZero Action Plan lays out a roadmap to cut emissions by:

• 40% by 2030

• 59% by 2040

• Net-zero by 2050

  
  

This plan focuses on using current technologies and improving them over time.

Innovations Making a Difference

Canada is exploring several ways to reduce concrete’s carbon footprint:

• Fly Ash: A byproduct from burning coal, fly ash can replace some cement in concrete. Canada produces about 5 million tonnes of fly ash annually, but only 17% is used in concrete. Using more could cut emissions and reduce waste.

  
  

• Portland-Limestone Cement (PLC): This type of cement uses less energy to produce and emits less CO₂. Lafarge Canada has fully switched its St-Constant plant to PLC, expecting to cut 60,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

  
  

• Alternative Fuels: Replacing coal with cleaner fuels like hydrogen or biofuels in cement kilns can significantly reduce emissions.

  
  

Local Actions Leading the Way

Cities are also stepping up. For example, Langford, BC, introduced Canada’s first low-carbon concrete policy, prioritizing sustainable materials in construction projects.

Why It Matters

Concrete is the most used building material globally. Making it more sustainable is crucial for:

• Reducing Greenhouse Gases: Cleaner concrete means fewer emissions.

  
  

• Building Resilient Infrastructure: Sustainable materials can lead to longer-lasting structures.

  
  

• Meeting Climate Goals: Innovations in concrete production are essential for Canada to meet its net-zero targets.

  
  

The Road Ahead

There’s no single solution to make concrete fully sustainable. It will take a combination of:

• Technological Innovation: Developing and adopting new materials and processes.

  
  

• Policy Support: Implementing regulations and incentives to promote low-carbon options.

  
  

• Industry Commitment: Companies investing in cleaner production methods.

  
  

Explore Canada’s Roadmap to Net-Zero Carbon Concrete by 2050.

Canada’s efforts show that collaboration and innovation make it possible to build a greener future. One concrete step at a time.