In a move that could influence the market for building materials for decades to come, green materials supplier Holcim has just announced that it is investing in Sublime Systems, a low-carbon cement startup.
Right now, traditional cement has a huge impact on the environment, as detailed by the Princeton Student Climate Initiative. Of all the products in the world, concrete is the one we consume the most of besides water. The concrete industry alone creates about 8% of the world's heat-trapping carbon pollution — noticeably accelerating the planet's overheating.
That's why researchers and industry leaders all over the world are looking for cleaner, greener cement alternatives — and Sublime Systems has one.
According to Holcim's press release, Sublime Systems uses a fully electrified manufacturing process. Where most companies achieve "net zero" heat-trapping carbon pollution by reducing or recapturing as much pollution as they create, Sublime Systems says it uses a "true zero" approach that doesn't create air pollution in the first place.
To achieve that, Sublime Systems says it has replaced the traditional heat-fueled cement-making process with an electrochemical one that runs at ambient temperatures, meaning it can be achieved purely with affordable and eco-friendly clean energy. The cement it produces can be used as a drop-in replacement for traditional Portland cement.
"The Sublime Systems team has developed a unique technology to decarbonize cement, cutting across the entire production process from the use of clean electricity to carbon-free raw materials," said Nollaig Forrest, Holcim's chief sustainability officer, in the release. "We are excited about this technology's potential and are delighted to be partnering to bring it to market at scale. This investment advances our strategy to decarbonize construction by scaling up the most innovative technologies across our operations."
Holcim's investment, plus additional funds from global cement producer CRH, have given Sublime Systems $75 million toward the startup's first commercial-scale manufacturing plant in Holyoke, Mass. Once it's completed in 2026, it will begin producing 30,000 tons of green cement per year — and is expected to continue operation for decades, per a Sublime release.
Leah Ellis, CEO and co-founder of Sublime Systems, said for the Holcim report: "In the cement industry, scale is everything. We are proud to collaborate with Holcim, who supports our mission of swift and massive impact. By pairing Sublime's technology with Holcim's advanced global operations from manufacturing and logistics to commercial distribution, we can scale up our impact together."
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
