As a key sector of the global economy, construction has an important role to play in combating climate change. Currently, buildings are responsible for more than a third of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions, and because we are a manufacturer of building materials, we have decided to focus on pursuing climate neutrality.
Cemex is a global building materials company that also cares about a better future for future generations by implementing elements of its ESG strategy. Cemex's Future in Action climate strategy supports its goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 by, among other things, introducing products, solutions and processes that reduce CO₂ emissions. The strategy focuses on clearly reducing direct and indirect CO₂ emissions in our operations, as well as providing sustainable, innovative products and solutions to society.
Cemex is committed to global climate action. That's why the company has created and is developing the Vertua® brand, a portfolio of products that uses cutting-edge technology and innovation to help customers achieve their sustainable priorities. The company aims to extend its Vertua® value proposition to the rest of Cemex's product portfolio, with the goal of creating a more sustainable and modern construction industry.
Vertua® is the company's brand offering a range of innovative products that combine five main sustainability-related features in dedicated application areas. These are: lower carbon emissions, greater energy efficiency, responsible water management, use of recycled materials and optimization in design.
- Low-carbon - by using our products in construction projects, we reduce the adverse impact on the environment by reducing the carbon footprint.
- Energy efficiency - buildings constructed using Cemex products are characterized by higher thermal insulation, which reduces CO₂ emissions during building operation.
- Water management - includes products that have a positive impact on the environment and allow better management of surface and rainwater.
- Recycled materials - by using Cemex products, you reuse building materials, avoiding the consumption of additional natural resources.
- Optimization in design - products that allow you to reduce CO₂ by optimizing the dimensions of construction.
Products and solutions characterized by the above-mentioned sustainable features contribute to our vision of "Building a Better Future."
Vertua solutions for sustainable construction
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All products developed under the Vertua® brand must meet the specific criteria of at least one of the sustainable attributes listed above.
Low carbon performance is a key element for the Vertua® group of low-carbon concretes. They enable carbon dioxide emission reductions of up to 70% compared to a reference concrete based on CEM I cement. The carbon footprint reduction is made possible by using optimized formulations based on low-carbon ingredients and local raw materials. Vertua® concretes meet technical parameters analogous to standard concretes, so they have a wide range of possibilities for use at every stage of the project. Low-emission solutions in no way limit building design possibilities and construction challenges. Our specialists design concrete perfectly tailored to the designer's expectations.
Type III Environmental Declarations or so-called EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations ) have been developed, verified and published for the entire line of Vertua® concrete products. EPDs are a very useful document based on a life cycle analysis of a product, describing its properties and environmental impact throughout its life cycle. The indicators contained in the EPD accurately report the full environmental impact of Vertua® concretes and confirm the reduction of the carbon footprint. The carbon footprint is defined in the EPD as the global warming potential and expressed in a unit of carbon dioxide equivalent, which allows for a clear and unambiguous definition of the CO₂ emissions for Vertua® concretes. With the EPD certificate at our disposal, we can compare two products against each other in terms of their environmental impact, and thus consciously decide to choose a product with more favorable performance. EPD-certified concretes are an asset in BREEAM or LEED multi-criteria building certification processes, allowing you to receive additional points in selected categories of the certification process.
Cemex obtained the first Environmental Declarations for the Vertua® group of concretes in 2021. They are of great importance in the construction process as documents confirming the most important environmental properties of the concrete. As production processes and formulations continue to improve - and as a result further reduce carbon emissions - CO₂ Vertua® reduced-emission concretes are an important element in reducing a building's carbon footprint.
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