Holcim pushes net zero future

Construction service provider Holcim Philippines Inc. is strengthening efforts in pushing sustainable construction as they engage with various industry players to achieve a net zero future.

Holcim recently participated in a series of conferences to share efforts supporting the reduction of the environmental footprint of construction.

“With the construction industry accounting for 10 percent of global carbon emissions, we must actively engage with key stakeholders who are similarly moving for a Net Zero future,” Holcim Philippines chief sustainability officer Sam Manlosa Jr. said.

“These engagements are important to raise awareness that Holcim is ready to support sustainable construction and encourage collaborations to hasten the transformation for better building norms in the country.”

On 19 September, the first-ever Philippine Net Zero Conference organized by the Net Zero Carbon Alliance was held.

Among those who graced the event were Bukidnon First District Representative Jose Manuel Alba, co-author of the House of Representatives Low-Carbon Economy Bill, and Jonathan Breton, Global director, Built Environment.

Build green, secure future

Similarly, the company joined the 2024 Building Green Conference in Davao City on 26 September, organized by the Philippine Green Building Council.

The event highlighted the importance of addressing the carbon footprint of building materials aside from the current focus on improving energy efficiency.

Last year, Holcim Philippines Inc., led by its plant in Norzagaray, Bulacan, lowered its freshwater withdrawals by 64 percent through operations such as its water recycling facilities to cool equipment and the installation of rainwater harvesting structures.

These initiatives generated P35 million in savings in 2022, said the company.

It has reduced its carbon footprint by more than 20 percent since 2018 by producing more blended cement, replacing coal with qualified wastes as alternative fuels and raw materials, shifting to renewable energy, and improving the efficiency of operations.

Meanwhile, Holcim launched the Holcim Sustainable Construction Academy, aimed at upskilling built environment professionals.

The Holcim Sustainable Construction Academy is an open-access online training program on low-carbon, circular, and regenerative design concepts. Under this, third-party experts teach a 10-module curriculum with topics ranging from upfront and operational emissions to circular construction and building materials innovation.

This program, which will be offered online and in-person teaching, is seen to enable professionals to measure the impact of their projects from an early stage of the design process.

According to Holcim chief sustainability officer Nollaig Forrest, this will provide resources for expediting the shift to low-carbon, energy-efficient, and regenerative buildings and cities.

Among those who developed the program were professors from world-top universities such as the University of Cambridge and ETH Zurich, as well as architects and engineers from the largest architectural firms, including Zaha Hadid Architects and Henning Larsen.