As the industry’s push towards decarbonisation gains traction, so does the significance of early engagement. Here, Holcim’s National Specifications Manager explains how the specifications process shifted in recent years, why early engagement is crucial in sustainable concrete – and what are some of the developments in the concrete industry he’s excited about.
Tell us a little bit about your role at Holcim. What does your day-to-day look like as a National Specifications Manager?
My role really came to fruition because Holcim identified a gap in the industry when it comes to communicating and dealing with architects, designers or engineers prior to the actual specifications being written.
For so long, as a concrete supplier, we focused on the supply stage rather than helping designers and architects understand more about concrete, educating them on whether particular mixes are fit for purpose, and what could be the best way to achieve their desired outcome. I can honestly say I've never had a more exciting or rewarding role, because architects and designers are like sponges (for lack of better words) – they are invested to learn as much as they can about how we can transfer our industry from conventional concrete into sustainable concrete. So a big part of my job centres around that educational piece. The other part is building relationships with those companies so that I become the concrete resource they can reach out to at any point in time.
How do you think the process of specification has changed as a result of the industry’s push towards decarbonisation?
I think historically, as an industry, focusing on sustainable building materials such as concrete is something we haven't done very well. And then, within the last six to 12 months, there's been a significant shift in the focus on low carbon solutions and products, as well as transparency and making sure that we have Environmental Product Declarations that can back up our sustainable products. It's shifting rapidly because architects, designers and engineers all want to start changing the products they specify.
But the knowledge piece on those low carbon concrete or sustainable products is limited for some. There's a myth in the industry that low carbon concrete does not perform like conventional concrete, or can’t be used for structural applications and various other applications. So, again, it’s about education and trying to change those mindsets, all the way from the designer who's writing the spec, to the person who's actually placing it.
Why is early engagement with specification so important when it comes to sustainability?
As our industry progresses in our journey to decarbonise the construction sector, the importance of early engagement has never been more critical. Early engagement during the design phase of projects allows collaboration from all key stakeholders to ensure projects are designed factoring in sustainable product solutions that are fit for purpose, and ultimately enable the project to achieve its sustainability targets. So from our side of things, it's about working with specifiers to ensure they know that while it might be low carbon – or carbon neutral – concrete, it will still perform the same as what you would normally specify.
Often it comes down to the engineers, so they have to have full faith and trust in what you're doing, be able to see historical test reports and understand that side of things. So it’s important we're there to help right from the start, with me assisting the designer, all the way through to our technical team also helping the guys on site.
And how does that drive towards earlier engagement, and stronger education across the industry, fit within Holcim’s broader sustainability goals?
At Holcim, we've taken responsibility for the impact of our products on the planet. Globally, we've pledged to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Our growing population means there's an increasing demand for more sustainable construction materials, and as a global manufacturer of concrete solutions we recognise the need to provide reduced carbon concrete alternatives. Greater transparency and accountability around the impact of greenhouse gas emissions is now an expectation from businesses and customers alike.
For us, building sustainably is a choice you make at every single stage of the construction cycle. It's a vision you create – not only for you right now, but one that will be shared for future generations. So that's important to us.
And finally, how is Holcim innovating to keep pushing sustainability forward in the future?
As part of our decarbonisation roadmap we’re continuing to take steps to improve sustainability outcomes further down the line. We're looking at additional cementitious materials to replace fly ash and slag, which is going to exhaust itself at some point in time. So we're exploring other options, like calcium clays, that can be used as binders. We're looking at recycled aggregates, from demolition material. So we can actually take that demolition material, get it recycled, get it repurposed and put it back into concrete.
In addition, new materials and technologies are constantly emerging, and we're excited to explore them within our products to see how we can continue making our range more sustainable. Our commitment to sustainability also goes beyond our product line and we are dedicated to working with all areas of the construction industry – from large commercial and infrastructure projects to homeowners and first-time buyers. We want to make sure everyone has access to sustainable concrete options, and we're already making progress. For example, we're supplying ECOPact to a significant development in Victoria, and we're working with an architect and engineer on a passive house project just a few streets away. This juxtaposition is typical of the variety of projects we’re working on, and perfectly encapsulates our ambition to help the industry pave the way to a more sustainable building environment – no matter the size or the budget of the project.
