Making buildings sustainable
Our advanced roofing, insulation and specialty building solutions improve energy efficiency for buildings in use, reducing their operational emissions while enabling their repair, renovation and green retrofitting.
We bring nature into cities with solutions including green roofs and water-permeable concrete to reduce urban temperatures and improve air quality.
Energy efficiency
We're enabling buildings to be more energy-efficient in use.
Energy used to power, heat and cool buildings is responsible for up to 80% of CO2 emissions in cities. Buildings therefore present a unique opportunity to speed up the transition to lower-carbon energy and highly energy-efficient cities.
Holcim offers high-performance insulation solutions enhancing the energy efficiency of our customers’ buildings. Elevate’s patented ISOGARD® technology offers the highest level of energy efficiency, delivering up to 40% better thermal resistance (R-value) per inch than competing solutions in the market, while Enverge SucraSeal® bio-based Spray Foam has the highest biocontent in the industry. Our innovative solutions suit all types of building projects, from new builds to renovations, playing an increasing role in the repair and green retrofitting space.
Our advanced roofing systems play an essential role in making buildings more sustainable in use. Insulated, cool and green roofs enhance buildings’ energy-efficiency, reduce the urban heat island effect, and can improve air quality with vegetation or smog-reducing granules. Our long-lasting roofing solutions also enable the installation of solar panels to shift to decarbonized sources of energy.
Green retrofitting
Our solutions and products are playing an increasing role in green retrofitting.
Up to 80% of current buildings and infrastructure is expected to still be in use by 2050, which means there is an increasing need for repair, renovation and retrofitting solutions to keep buildings in use for as long as possible, in the most energy-efficient way.
We understand the importance of preserving buildings to decarbonize the built environment. Holcim offers the broadest range of solutions – from roofing and insulation to façades and tile adhesives – to enhance the functionality of existing buildings, ensure their sustainable use in the long term and reduce the need for new construction.
In addition to supporting new builds, many high-value Holcim solutions also enable green retrofitting to prolong the life of buildings:
- Elevate delivers premium roofing, wall and lining systems that improve buildings' energy efficiency and achieve the most advanced sustainability certifications such as LEED, BREEAM and WELL.
- Duro-Last roofing systems range from cool roofs, enhancing buildings’ energy efficiency, to its award-winning “Recycle Your Roof” program, driving circularity in roofing.
- PRB Group produces coatings, insulation, adhesives, flooring and façade systems specially designed for advanced energy efficiency.
- PTB offers a wide range of high-performance products, from adhesives and specialty mortars to finishings.
- TECTOR manufactures advanced mortars for masonry, plastering, flooring, waterproofing, repair, chemicals and 3D printing.
- Enverge sucrose-based spray foam insulation improves energy efficiency and comfort while lowering a building’s carbon footprint.
- Airium™ mineral insulating foam insulates floors, walls and ceilings, enhancing the energy efficiency of the entire building envelope. It is fully recyclable and circular and aligns with clear air standards for a building's wellbeing.
- Izolbet manufactures construction chemicals, dry mortars and insulation systems, and stands as a market leader in waterproofing materials.
- Cantillana is a leading specialty building solutions provider with extensive experience in façade construction systems and external thermal insulation composite systems.
Nature in cities
We're bringing more nature into cities.
Our products bring more nature into cities, making them more livable. For example our green roofs bring more greenery to urban areas, reducing the urban heat island effect and improving air quality.
ZinCo, a leader in advanced green roofing systems, joined the Holcim family in 2024. ZinCo’s living, green roofs not only look good and boost energy efficiency, they improve people’s wellbeing. Regulating internal temperatures and combating the urban heat island effect, they bring more nature into cities and improve air quality.
Global urban expansion is forecast to result in the loss of 290,000 km2 of natural habitat between 2000 and 2030. To ensure a nature-positive future, urban growth needs to be sustainable and nearby nature must be protected, restored and enhanced. Our solutions include providing a home for ecosystems on green roofs, with trees, plants and rainwater harvesting.
Our nature-focused products and solutions are helping restore and preserve biodiversity in cities around the world.
Hydromedia water-permeable concrete is a water management system that rapidly absorbs rainwater from streets, parking surfaces, driveways and walkways. It does so at a rate of 500-600 L/min/m2 – 10,000 times more than standard soil. This innovative permeable concrete reduces the risk of flooding, replenishes groundwater and promotes urban tree growth.
Sustainable buildings in action
Our stories
