Holcim's ECOCycle Technology Distinguished for Circular Economy Innovation
Holcim's circular ECOCycle technology has been recognized as a "Circularity Lighthouse in the Built Environment," a significant achievement in promoting sustainable construction practices.
In a notable advancement for sustainable construction, Holcim's ECOCycle technology has been named a "Circularity Lighthouse in the Built Environment." This recognition comes as part of a joint initiative by McKinsey & Company and the World Economic Forum, announced at this year's annual meeting in Davos.
The Circularity Lighthouse designation honors pioneering solutions that demonstrate a novel and distinctive approach to circularity, substantial and proven impact and value, and significant scale and maturity. According to a McKinsey study, circularity in the built environment can reduce initial carbon emissions by up to 75%.
Nollaig Forrest, Holcim's Director of Sustainable Development, emphasized the game-changing potential of circularity in large-scale construction decarbonization. Holcim operates over 100 ECOCycle recycling centers globally, promoting circular construction. Their advanced recycling of construction demolition materials can already reduce the CO2 footprint of cement by up to 40%. This is just the beginning, as Holcim aims to accelerate the transition to circular construction in all metropolitan areas where it operates.
ECOCycle technology enables Holcim to recycle up to 100% of construction demolition materials in a wide range of applications. This includes decarbonized raw materials in low-carbon cement formulations and recycled aggregates in circular concrete. ECOCycle allows concrete, cement, and aggregates to contain 10% to 100% recycled construction demolition materials without compromising performance, while reducing their environmental footprint.
As a global leader in recycling, circularity is central to Holcim's decarbonization journey. In 2022, Holcim recycled nearly 7 million tons of construction demolition materials into new construction solutions, equivalent to over 1,000 trucks of materials daily. Accelerating this pace, Holcim aims to recycle over 20 million tons of construction demolition materials by 2030 in Europe alone, expanding ECOCycle technology to reach 150 sites by 2030.
