In an era of climate change, building material manufacturers are expected to provide solutions that support modern construction. Cemex is consistently developing a portfolio of Vertua products with which to effectively achieve sustainable goals.
Earth's climate change is occurring at a rapid pace. In 2020, the average global temperature was 1.2°C higher than the average annual temperature in the period 1850-19001. July 6, 2023, in turn, turned out to be the warmest day in the world in the history of measurements.
As one of the world's leading producers of cement, concrete and aggregates, Cemex is actively working to mitigate climate change. The company is consistently implementing its "Future in Action" strategy, which includes, among other things, a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions at its production facilities.
A key element of the aforementioned strategy is also modern product solutions that help Cemex's customers achieve their sustainable goals.
Green innovations
Cemex's research and development department, based in Switzerland, is working on innovative products for sustainable construction.
The result of this work is the Vertua product portfolio. They are characterized by a unique raw material composition. In the process of their production, local raw materials are used, as well as - in the spirit of a closed-loop economy - materials from other industries. As a result, compared to traditional solutions, Vertua products have a limited impact on the environment, while offering excellent technical performance.
Vertua products are commonly associated as low-emission solutions. They have a significantly lower carbon footprint than reference products with the same properties. In the case of cement, the carbon footprint reduction is at least 25% for Vertua Plus products, up to more than 55% for Vertua Supreme, compared to the global average CO₂ emissions for CEM I-type Portland cements (according to data from the Global Cement and Concrete Association). For concrete, 30% or more, compared to a reference concrete based on the most popular Portland cement CEM I in Poland.
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From the point of view of an investor interested in sustainable construction, however, emission reductions are not the only benefit of using Vertua products.
Now the Vertua brand has evolved from reduced CO₂ solutions, to enhancing other product features, taking into account various areas grouped into five groups: low carbon, energy efficiency, water management, recycled materials, and optimization in design.
The range of eco-benefits
OPTIMIZATION IN DESIGN
Vertua concrete mixtures will make it possible to make elements with the same strength parameters, but with smaller dimensions than if other reference concrete products were used. By making structural elements with Vertua concretes, we can reduce the carbon footprint of the project under construction.
WATER MANAGEMENT
Choosing Vertua concretes will also allow for more rational water management. Selected Cemex concretes have high permeability, so they effectively drain rainwater from the surface to the lower layers of the soil. This is particularly important in view of the threat of droughts and lowering groundwater levels.
RECYCLED MATERIALS
The use of Vertua products also results in a reduction of construction waste in landfills. Recycled aggregates are products of mineral origin, obtained by processing inorganic materials previously used in construction, such as concrete. This protects natural aggregate deposits by limiting their exploitation.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
The list of advantages of Vertua products does not end there. In the context of sustainable construction, their reduced thermal conductivity is also noteworthy. In practice, it translates into greater energy efficiency for buildings and structures that will be created using these materials.
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The road to a sustainable goal
At each stage of the construction process, it is easy to see which Vertua product will prove to be optimal for the needs of the investment. Each has been provided with a label that provides information about its features and benefits of use, including the advantages of reducing environmental impact.
The properties of the materials have been previously verified and confirmed by independent research institutes. In case of doubts about the choice of materials and the way they are applied, Cemex will provide support from a dedicated team of experts. All this is done to ensure that each customer can achieve their sustainable goals.
1 World Meteorological Organization report "State of the Global Climate 2020"
The development and deployment of CEMEX building materials technology is part of a global research and development network,
headed by the CEMEX Research Center based in Switzerland.
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