Holcim’s Building Icons are world-class infrastructure, industry and buildings across the world, built using our innovative and sustainable building solutions
We spoke with our CEO, Miljan Gutovic, to learn more.
Can You tell us more about holcim's Building Icons?
They are inspirational infrastructure, industry and buildings at the heart of our cities and regions, built to last with “Holcim Inside”. We bring added value to these projects for our customers with our integrated sustainable, circular, energy-efficient, resilient and smart building solutions, from end-to-end.
One great example of a Building Icon is Wood Wharf, a large mixed-use development in London. Here Holcim provided custom ECOPact low-carbon concrete mixes for several towers, one of which uses concrete with 20% recycled construction demolition materials.
This project will also be the first in the UK to use a technology developed by Holcim with carbon removal pioneer neustark. This removes CO2 from the atmosphere and injects it into demolition concrete, storing it permanently.
Through projects like these Holcim meets customers’ evolving needs, by developing cutting-edge solutions and services that offer exceptional value. Every Building Icon is different and we work closely with our customers to help them achieve their ambitious technical and sustainability targets.
Miljan Gutovic, CEO, Holcim
Why are you spotlightING THESE PROJECTS?
To showcase the best of Holcim. What we offer as a company with our innovative and sustainable building solutions, but also what inspires us as we decarbonize building at scale – because it makes good business sense, and because it’s the right thing to do.
For example, in Greece, the new neighborhood of The Ellinikon will transform the lives of thousands of Athenians. For the developer, Lambda Development, Holcim’s commitment to innovation and sustainability is crucial to realize our shared vision. To date, Holcim’s solutions are inside 90% of The Ellinikon’s structures, and we work closely with the customer to develop and supply high-value end-to-end systems, from custom ECOPact low-carbon concrete and ECOPlanet low-carbon cement mixes, to our high-strength DYNAMax and Hydromedia permeable concretes.
By showcasing projects like The Ellinikon, we are shining a light on what we do, but also why we do it. Building Icons will give a voice to those icons of building in their own right – our customers and their bold project visions, the world-class architects who design our icons, and our Holcim colleagues who help to build the places where all of us live, work, learn and play.
Wood Wharf in London, UK
The Ellinikon in Athens, Greece
Metro Tunel in Melbourne, Australia
Moranta Tower in Monterrey, Mexico
Why is sustainable construction so important?
Holcim’s vision is to be the leading partner for sustainable construction, and we’re making decarbonization and circular construction drivers of profitable growth as we deliver superior performance.
Building Icons is also about sparking a shift in the built environment that answers the question: “What kind of world do you want to live in?”
We’re answering it by showing how our sector can deliver the sustainable built environment that a rapidly growing and urbanizing world population needs.
Take Melbourne, Australia, where a growing population led to the need to expand the city’s metro network. The Metro Tunnel project was realized using Holcim’s ECOPact low-carbon concrete for two nine-kilometer tunnels and five stations. This transformational project achieved a 52% reduction in embodied carbon thanks in large part to our bespoke mix designs.
In El Salvador, a historic transformation of the iconic Los Chorros Highway is setting a new standard for sustainable, circularity and resilient infrastructure. Partnering with our customer, Holcim is delivering over 250 000 m3 of ECOPact low-carbon concrete, state-of-the-art slip-form paving technology and dedicated pumping services as a true end-to-end solutions partner.
What excites you most about Building Icons?
The fact that it gives us an opportunity to spotlight the best of Holcim, and to celebrate the Holcim Spirit. Through Building Icons we want to mobilize everyone across the building value chain to accelerate sustainable building together – from our colleagues, customers and business partners, to architects, public authorities, investors and future talents.
It is also exciting that Holcim has so many icons across the world to showcase, and I’ve only given you a brief teaser here. This is because Building Icons is what we do.
Let’s continue building them, together.
Miljan Gutovic, CEO, Holcim, visiting the advanced crushing system in France with which Holcim can upcycle 100% of construction demolition materials (CDM) into new building solutions.
