Richmond plant achieves 100% low-carbon cement production

Lafarge Canada (Holcim Group)  announced its conversion to the production of 100 per cent ECOPlanet cement at its Richmond cement plant. ECOPlanet, Holcim’s brand of low-carbon cement, offers a minimum 30 per cent reduction in CO₂ emissions per tonne in comparison to ordinary Portland cement.

“This is a proud moment for our organisation," says Brad Kohl, president and CEO of Lafarge Canada (West). “This conversion in Lafarge’s Western Canada division highlights our strong commitment to accelerating green growth. As leaders in sustainable building solutions, we take pride in having a positive impact on building solutions across its lifecycle without compromising the quality and long-term durability of our products."

The Richmond plant has been at the forefront of carbon emissions reduction in the industry’s built environment since the mid-2000s. Recently, with various initiatives, the plant achieved a significant milestone: converting the cement plant's production. This accomplishment cements the company's decarbonisation strategy and makes it the first cement plant within the Holcim Group worldwide to qualify 100 per cent of its cement production as ECOPlanet.

The Government of BC and CleanBC Industry Fund have been instrumental in facilitating decarbonisation projects efficiently. Through the Innovation Accelerator Fund, the Richmond Plant received funding to assist with the addition of supplementary cementitious materials to cement and has been the key to decreasing the greenhouse gasses per tonne of cement produced on site.