Taiwan Cement establishes low carbon construction building alliance

Taiwan Cement (TCC) invited over 100 construction companies to announce the establishment of the "Low Carbon Construction Building Alliance" on 18 November 2024.

Over the past year, TCC and its customers have collectively reduced 146,000t of carbon emissions in the construction industry by using low-carbon building materials, the company said. Chair Chang An-ping noted the company has shipped more than 800,000m³ of Portland limestone cement this year and has signed orders for 2.5Mm³, according to Central News Agency.

Portland limestone cement contains 5–15 per cent limestone, offering performance comparable to traditional concrete while reducing the carbon footprint by 10 per cent. While many companies sell assets to offset their carbon footprints, Chang emphasised that Taiwan Cement cannot take this route since its core product, cement, is essential for the construction industry. Demand remains high despite the push for greener alternatives.

TCC introduced Portland limestone cement in October 2023, achieving a 15.4 per cent carbon reduction with the product. Chang added that the company’s next-generation Portland cement could achieve an additional  eight per cent reduction, lowering the total carbon footprint by 23.83 per cent.

The company aims to exclusively sell low-carbon cement and concrete by 2026, aligning its strategy with the Global Cement and Concrete Association's (GCCA) latest definition of low-carbon concrete announced at COP29 on Monday.

Chang highlighted that TCC’s carbon reduction rate already surpasses the government’s recommended standard for low-carbon cement by 53 per cent. He expressed pride in the company’s leadership in producing low-carbon cement in Taiwan.