CITEC: Showcasing innovation to build Mexico’s future
What do a “weeping wall”, a 3-D printed staircase and a mirror-polished floor have to do with Latin America’s regional housing deficit and rising demand for infrastructure in the region?
These are just a few Holcim innovations that our customers who visit Mexico’s Construction Technology Innovation Center (CiTeC) will see, as we work to meet demand as the leading partner for sustainable construction – in this country and across Latin America.
Innovation is critical to product development, and at Holcim we’re harnessing it to accelerate decarbonization. Here, sustainable product formulation is critical, and we work across our R&D network and inside CiTec to push the boundaries using the latest technologies.
CiTeC, based in Toluca, State of Mexico, was founded in 1995 as a leading public center in academia, research, innovation and technological development – and it works to support economic and social sustainability, both in Mexico and abroad.
Customer-first approach
As part of a global network supported by the Holcim Innovation Center, CiTeC has become a leader in materials R&D in Mexico, transforming challenges into innovative solutions, and placing customers as well as end users at the center of its work.
“In Mexico, we have world-class scientists and a growing technology sector, but we need to do more to foster more innovation. That’s why Holcim’s work with CiTeC since 1995 is so important.”
CiTeC has a lot to show for the last 30 years. To take just a few examples. In 2018, Holcim Mexico and CiTeC developed a concrete to realize an experimental shell structure, “KnitCandela”, developed by Block Research Group of ETH Zurich and Zaha Hadid Architects.
In 2021, CiTeC took part in Holcim’s “Houses of Tomorrow” program to create a low-carbon prototype of progressive housing, while the center has also been active in humanitarian work in Mexico in the aftermath of Hurricane Otis, and participated in a 2024 study on the strength and durability of calcined clay-based cements in humanitarian shelters.
Inspiring students in construction
What of the “weeping wall” and 3D-printed staircase? These two innovations form part of the 30th anniversary renovation of CiTec’s façade and showrooms, which was the result of a competition between 72 students at architecture and engineering universities across Mexico.
“The vision behind the competition was ‘Innovation in Action: Transforming Spaces’. We wanted to establish a strong relationship with strategic universities in Mexico, recognize and reward rising talents in the world of architecture, and stimulate the creation of innovative and sustainable designs using our portfolio of solutions. Through this, we’re seeking to inspire new generations to become positive change agents in the construction industry,” Jose says.
Students Mirna, Pablo and Luis Ángel from the Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Jocotitlán in the State of Mexico were selected by an independent jury as winners.
CiTeC now showcases the students’ vision for our high-value Building Solutions, with its exhibition halls transformed into an inspiring space to exchange new ideas and close deals.
“We want to inspire our customers to use our innovative technologies, from foundation and walling to roofing and flooring,” Javier explains. “We’ve incorporated interactive and demonstrative elements to achieve this.”
Showcasing Holcim’s sustainable offering
Outside the building, CiTeC’s façade uses Tector Estuco mortar technology, while the main entrance features Artevia Boreal flooring, a photoluminescent concrete solution. Lattices integrated into the letter "H" are made with Apasco ECOPlanet cement.
A “weeping wall” showcases the properties of ECOPerm, Holcim’s permeable concrete solution, interactive furniture made from I-DRACRETO helps visitors learn about water savings.
Entering the showroom, visitors will find a mirror-polished floor made with Floortech BC concrete, while PASA® Floor epoxy solution has also been used. The staircase has been 3D-printed using a low-carbon, single-component mortar containing calcined clay, while interactive screens help visitors understand the sustainable impact of solutions like ECOPact.
CiTeC’s transformation extends to its energy efficiency as well. A new façade with green walls reduces the building’s thermal load by up to 20%, captures pollutants and makes the building more comfortable, while 313 solar panels generate 315,000 kWh/year of clean energy.
Thanks to measures including the recycling of construction demolition materials and urban solid waste, as well as the composting of organic waste to feed CiTeC’s garden, the building is the first in Mexico’s construction sector to achieve TRUE Zero Waste Silver certification.
“CiTeC has been renovated as a living ecosystem – integrating nature, technology and sustainability. It has been transformed into an environment that evolves, learns, and inspires action toward sustainable construction. At the same time, it’s a place where we can experience the Holcim Spirit and connect with the real impact of what we do every day,” Javier says.
CEO Miljan Gutovic visits CiTeC for its inauguration in June 2025.
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