Clay is one of the most abundant materials on Earth. Holcim, an international construction and building materials company, is capitalizing on this abundance by using "calcined clay" to make strong cement that is better for people and the planet, according to the company's website.
As the website indicates, the chemical reactions involved in making conventional cement release planet-heating carbon pollution into the atmosphere. However, the company claims there's a way to tweak the ingredients and reduce that harmful pollution by half, without sacrificing the strength of the building material.
Holcim's use of calcined clay — natural clay that has been heated to high temperatures — partly replaces an ingredient called "clinker" in cement. Clinker is produced by heating limestone, a process that accounts for a large portion of cement-making's carbon pollution.
The product with calcined clay is a cement that mixes and hardens like normal and is as durable and resilient once poured, according to Holcim. Yet its cement-making process does not fuel rising global temperatures as much as standard methods.
In turn, that also means it contributes less to creating conditions for intensified extreme weather events such as wildfires, floods, and droughts that put people's lives at risk.
Holcim's cement production is hitting the ground running. According to the company, it scaled up the first new production line dedicated to calcined clay cement in Europe in 2023. Holcim aims for that plant, located in Saint-Pierre-la-Cour, France, to produce 500,000 tons of calcined clay annually by 2030.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
A similar initiative is in development at the company's Czech Republic plant. In total, Holcim is manufacturing the calcined clay product in nine plants across Europe, Latin America, and North Africa. The largest operation is in Guayaquil, Ecuador, which is on track to churn out 2 million tons of the material a year, Holcim reported.
Holcim's cement is now used at project sites around the world. It has already formed the literal building blocks for an Olympic stadium in Marseille, France, an office complex in Milan, Italy, and an apartment building in Cancun, Mexico.
New building developments can encroach on important natural habitats and disrupt local ecosystems. Yet changes that help clean up the construction industry reduce its overall impact.
Holcim is proving how producing cement with less carbon pollution can also be a smart business move, as its commitment to sustainable building materials is driving profits. The company's sales of calcined clay-based cement spiked in the first half of 2025, according to Rémi Barbarulo, Holcim's Head of Cement Research & Development.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
"It's time to change the recipe," Barbarulo said in a statement on the website. He added: "Calcined clay is clearly the future."
|
Would you trust a home made of previously used concrete? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
