- In search of sustainable solutions for data center construction, Amazon Web Services, Baker Concrete Construction and Holcim design special ECOPact® low-carbon concrete mix
- As a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, Holcim enables greener cities, smarter infrastructure and improved living standards around the world.
CHICAGO, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Holcim US, a leader in sustainable construction solutions, today announced a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Baker Concrete Construction to provide the new, low-carbon ECOPact® concrete for the construction of several Amazon Data Centers in Northern Virginia. The companies’ sustainability goals enabled a collaborative approach to the initiative.
Concrete contributes a large portion of the carbon footprint of data center construction, and AWS is taking initiatives to reduce the carbon impact of concrete requirements. For example, AWS implemented a new design standard that requires concrete with at least a 20% reduction in carbon content compared to standard concrete for new data centers in the US. Combining ECOPact with Holcim allows AWS to not only meet this requirement but almost double it.
“It’s the choices we make today that will shape the world we live in tomorrow—and it’s a changing world. New ideas, new technologies and new needs are emerging. – also in the ways we design, build and grow,” said Cedric Barthelemy, Regional Head, Mid-Atlantic with Holcim US. “AWS and Baker Concrete Construction are known for their bold thinking in business models, which complement the companies’ respective approaches to sustainability. Our partnership matches AWS’s experience in data warehousing and our expertise in designing low-carbon concretes to ultimately result in contributing to a more sustainable built environment.”
Following a science-driven approach, Holcim is changing standards for the construction industry. Accelerating the use of low-carbon construction materials is essential for Holcim to achieve the global 2030 climate target of reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions per ton of cementitious materials by 25% by 2030 (from in 2018 base year). Partnerships with companies like AWS further demonstrate Holcim’s commitment to leading the building materials industry into a more sustainable future.
“As part of The Climate Pledge, Amazon is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040—10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement,” said Gurmeet Sethi, AMER Head of AWS Data Center Procurement. “To help achieve that commitment, AWS is focused on continuous innovation related to maintaining a global infrastructure, and building industry collaborations with companies like Holcim is one way that we can do that. in our data centers and create new opportunities to build infrastructure that is more sustainable across the region.”
Accelerating innovation to create more sustainable options in building materials has been a driving force behind this partnership. Holcim and Amazon Web Services, together with HITT Contracting and Baker Concrete Construction, take a new approach and work together to develop greener solutions, primarily by collaborating with engineers, architects, developers and builders early in the planning.
“Our approach is centered on working closely with like-minded partners, such as Holcim and AWS, to drive innovation in low-carbon construction,” said DJ Gibson, project executive at Baker Concrete Construction. . “As a founding member of the ACI center of excellence for carbon-neutral concrete, this is an important project for us to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability.”
“At HITT, we are always trying to reduce our footprint and find new ways to reduce the environmental impact of our projects. By collaborating and implementing this solution in our AWS data center jobs, we overcome perceived barriers to using low-carbon concrete instead of traditional mixes, especially in terms of performance and time,” said Aron Martens, vice president of technology at HITT Contracting. “The low-carbon benefits of ECOPact achieve all the necessary design stability in the intervals required to maintain the project schedule.”
ECOPact is the industry’s widest range of green, low carbon concrete products that provide a range of reduced carbon emissions, starting at 30%, compared to conventional concrete. The collaboration between AWS and Holcim led to the design of innovative concrete mixes that provide 35% to 45% less CO2. The use of ECOPact in the Amazon Data Center project, which is currently under construction, is estimated to reduce the total CO2 of concrete by 39% (compared to concrete with 100% ordinary Portland cement that would have been used).
Holcim and AWS will continue to look for ways to improve emissions savings for future projects completed together.
About Holcim
Holcim builds progress for people and the planet. As a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, Holcim enables greener cities, creates smarter infrastructure, and improves living standards around the world. With sustainability at the core of our strategy, Holcim has become a net-zero company, with our people and communities at the center of our success. The company is pushing circular construction as a world leader in recycling, to build more with less. Holcim is the company behind some of the world’s most trusted brands in the construction sector, including Aggregate Industries, Disensa, Holcim Building Products, Geocycle, Holcim, Lafarge, and Malarkey Roofing Products. Holcim is 70,000 people worldwide who are passionate about building progress for people and the planet through four business areas: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates, and Solutions & Products.
on in the United States, Holcim US includes nearly 350 sites in 43 states and employs 7,000 people. Our customers rely on us to help them design and build better communities with innovative solutions that deliver structural integrity and eco-efficiency.
Contact:
Meredith Castro
Holcim USA
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Lauren Blalock
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SOURCE Holcim
