Lafarge Canada Funds Queen’s University Low-Carbon Concrete Research

Lafarge Canada is proudly co-funding a low-carbon concrete design research project at Queen’s University (Kingston, ON) and providing the company’s specially designed concrete to the initiative. The project, which aligns with the company’s decarbonization strategy and brings together a number of industry partners, is led by Dr. Neil Hoult, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Queen’s University, with Josh Woods, Assistant Professor, Queen’s University, Evan Bentz, Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Toronto, and Dr. John Orr, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cambridge.

“At Lafarge, we value partnerships that connect all of the contributors to NetZero construction, in this case, we are collaborating with the Owner, the Architect, and the Construction Manager in a new way to achieve our shared sustainability goals,” commented Rob Cumming, Head of Sustainability, Lafarge Canada (East).

“Lafarge is excited to participate in a project like this one – it fits perfectly into our green growth roadmap. The integration of our mix design expertise through our ECOPact concrete product line coupled with smart structural engineering design will allow for much lower embodied carbon than would be possible otherwise. This models the sort of partnerships we need to foster innovation in building design and advance our sustainability targets,” commented Abdurahman Lotfy, Innovation & Development Manager, Aggregates & Construction Materials, Lafarge Canada.

“We will be working on several different approaches to making concrete lower carbon,” said Dr. Hoult. “The first is shape optimization, in other words only putting material only where we need material, which saves on not only material use but also structure weight. If the structure is lighter, then you need even less material. The second is what is known as functionally graded concrete. We put concrete with higher strength where we need the strength, then we use lower strength concrete (which also means lower cement concrete) everywhere else. We will be working on software packages that allow for these new techniques to be used in the design, optimizing structures for performance and low environmental impact.”

The bulk of the research will be done in the Queen’s Civil Engineering labs. Moving from the Lab to practical applications, the project will be taken into the real world in Kingston. “Aecon and Lafarge will help us build it, and it’s all going to happen at the Kingston Fire and Rescue Training Centre,” Hoult said. “It’s going to be both actively used by Kingston’s Fire Services as a classroom and as a living lab so that Queen’s and St. Lawrence College students can come and learn about low-carbon buildings. We’re aiming for a net-zero building philosophy.”

About Lafarge Canada Inc.

Lafarge is Canada’s largest provider of sustainable construction materials and a member of the global group, Holcim. With 6,000 employees and 350 sites across Canada, our mission is to provide construction solutions and products that build progress for people and the planet. The cities where Canadians live, work and raise their families along with communities’ infrastructure benefit from the sustainable portfolio provided by Lafarge, consisting of Aggregates, Asphalt and Paving, Cement, Precast Concrete, Ready-Mix Concrete, and Road Construction.

About Queen’s University

Queen’s University has a long history of scholarship, discovery, and innovation that has shaped our collective knowledge and helped address some of the world’s most pressing concerns. Home to more than 25,000 students, the university offers a comprehensive research-intensive environment with prominent strengths in engineering, physics, cancer research, data analytics, surveillance studies, art conservation, and mental health research. Welcoming and supporting students from all countries and backgrounds to a vibrant, safe, and supportive community is an important part of the Queen’s experience. Diverse perspectives and a wealth of experience enrich our campus and our community. A core part of our mission is to engage our students, staff, and faculty in international learning and research, both at home and abroad.