▲ Establishing cooperation on carbon-reducing materials with Holcim, a global leader in green construction materials and solutions

... Promoting the development and application of technologies such as low-carbon concrete and high-durability materials for the marine environment

▲ Hyundai E&C strengthens ESG management by developing construction materials and expanding its application to overseas sites to lead net-zero initiative 

... Actively responding to global market demands by being the first Korean builder to declare net-zero commitment and accelerating its implementation

[ Hyundai E&C has signed an MOU with Holcim, a global leader in green construction materials, to jointly develop low-carbon construction materials and promote technical cooperation ]

Hyundai E&C and Holcim, a global leader in green construction materials, will jointly develop low-carbon construction materials and promote technical cooperation.

Hyundai E&C announced on the 24th (local time) that it signed an MOU for joint development and technical cooperation on low-carbon construction materials at Holcim's headquarters in Switzerland. The signing ceremony was attended by officials from both companies, including Park Koo-yong, head of Hyundai E&C's R&D Center, and Holcim's CMO Frank Burkhardt. 

With this agreement, Hyundai E&C will promote studies on net-zero realization and expand the applications of low-carbon construction materials, including ▲ development of low carbon new materials using calcined clay to reduce carbon emissions and ▲ development of high-durability concrete technology for the marine environment.

Following the signing ceremony, the two companies held specific and accelerated discussions on joint development options and implementation plans at the Holcim Innovation Center (HIC), Holcim's technical research center in Lyon, France. 

As the global construction market is increasingly regulated for carbon emissions, recent construction bids for international ports, tunnels, and buildings are requiring quantitative reductions in carbon dioxide generated during the construction and operation phases, or adding requirements for the use of low-carbon construction materials. 

In October 2022, Hyundai E&C was the first listed construction company in Korea to declare its  "net-zero by 2045" commitment and unveiled its carbon neutrality implementation strategy through the “Global Green One Pioneer: Net Zero by 2045” report, which details its carbon neutrality vision.

At the same time, to preemptively respond to the construction market, which is increasingly regulated for net-zero emissions, Hyundai E&C has developed low-carbon construction materials such as concrete and ground reinforcement materials that replace cement with eco-friendly materials, and high-density mortar for reducing inter-floor noise using steel slag, based on its top-notch technology development expertise in Korea, and has applied them to sites.

Meanwhile, Holcim, which signed a partnership with Hyundai E&C to develop net-zero construction materials, is a Swiss and French-based company specializing in construction materials such as cement, aggregates, concrete, mortar, and asphalt, with six research centers and more than 1,500 active patents. In particular, it is expanding its portfolio of green products, especially in cement and concrete that significantly reduce carbon dioxides generated in the manufacturing process in order to lead the decarbonization of the construction sector.

An official from Hyundai E&C said, “As the demand for carbon-neutral construction options is expanding in the global construction market, construction materials that can achieve high performance and high quality, as well as low carbon and ecological performance, have emerged as core competitiveness,” adding that, "We will enhance our status as a global builder by accelerating the realization of carbon neutrality and ESG management through technical cooperation with the company leading the development of green, high-value-added construction materials.”