Sustainable building solutions leader, Holcim US, was named the winner of the Innovative Project Award by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) during the 2023 Concrete Innovations Awards in Las Vegas. Holcim’s ECOPactTM low-carbon concrete helped the company take home the prize for its role in the climate-conscious development of Boston University’s Center for Computing & Data Sciences.
“We thank the NRMCA for honoring us with this award and Boston University for trusting us as a partner to help it reach the goals of its Climate Action Plan,” said Kevin Peart, Sr. Vice President, Northeast and Great Lakes Regions at Holcim US. “The climate-conscious nature of the University’s Data Center project aligns with the exact type of innovative and environmentally friendly projects Holcim seeks. We take pride in having our thoughtfully designed product utilized to build a sustainable home for the great thinkers of tomorrow.”
About the award
The NRMCA Concrete Innovations Award Program recognizes outstanding achievements in concrete manufacturing, design and construction. The group gives the award to people, companies, products and projects that demonstrate outstanding performance in concrete manufacturing, research, design and construction. They award honors them for their achievements in helping improve concrete performance while lowering environmental impacts, including embodied and operational carbon footprint.
“Globally, Holcim is a leader in sustainable building materials, and ECOPact is a great example of our innovative solutions,” says Toufic Tabbara, Region Head North America at Holcim US. “We aim to achieve net zero by 2050, and we are well on our way. Its products like these that not only help us on our journey but also help companies that share similar sustainability ambitions.”
Opened in December 2022 and rising above Central Campus, Boston University’s Data Center is a state-of-the-art 19-story structure, designed to resemble books, that houses the departments of mathematics & statistics and computer science. With geothermal wells, modern shading, and highly insulating windows, among other features, it is the University’s most sustainable, energy-efficient building ever. The building is 100 percent free of fossil fuels, an effort that aligns with the University’s broader Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce Boston University’s carbon emissions to zero by 2040.
Because the University saw sustainability as a high priority, this meant that using ECOPact low-carbon concrete for the Data Center project was perfect. This is the company’s broadest range of low-carbon concrete mixes for high-performing, sustainable and circular construction. They designed these mixes to reduce the Global Warming Potential (GWP) by at least 30 percent compared to standard concrete.
About Holcim
Holcim is a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions. Driven by its purpose to build progress for people and the planet, its 60,000 employees are on a mission to decarbonize building, while improving living standards for all. The company empowers its customers across all regions to build better with less, with its broad range of low-carbon and circular solutions, from ECOPact to ECOPlanet. With its innovative systems, from Elevate’s roofing to PRB’s insulation, Holcim makes buildings more sustainable in use, driving both energy efficiency and green retrofitting. With sustainability at the core of its strategy, Holcim is becoming a net-zero company with 1.5°C targets validated by SBTi.
In the United States, Holcim US includes nearly 350 sites in 43 states and also employs 7,000 people. Our customers rely on us to help them both design and build better communities with innovative solutions that deliver structural integrity and eco-efficiency. For further information, visit holcim.us
