Dr. Thomas Narbeshuber

CEO

BASF SE

Concrete is the second most used basic material in the world in terms of the overall quantities. There is no other construction material that, on a global scale, can replace it. The manufacturing process for the cement used in concrete generates approximately eight percent of global CO2 emissions due to the enormous amount of energy it requires. Through ‘Green Sense’, BASF provides solutions to the urgent challenges of the construction industry such as its high share of primary energy consumption, greenhouse gases and fine dust emissions. Green Sense Concrete technology ensures that the concrete used in construction projects is optimally suited to purpose. By using Green Sense technology during the construction of a big office building, the emissions of thousands of tons of CO2 equivalents can be avoided. compared to conventional concrete mix design..

 

Green Sense Beton Technológia

Industry: Pharmaceutical industry

Date: 2013

Climate change


Solutions of the macro-sustainability challenges

Decreasing greenhouse gas emissions per capita via climate friendly transport and buildings, and by increasing the proportion of renewable energy from 15% in the total energy mix

Further targets:

What´s the solution?

The manufacturing process for the cement used in concrete generates approximately eight percent of global CO2 emissions due to the enormous amount of energy it requires. With Green Sense BASF provides solutions for urgent challenges of the construction industry such as the high share in primary energy consumption, in greenhouse gases and in fine dust emissions. BASF has combined Green Sense Concrete technology with a customized, interactive Eco-Efficiency Analysis program to quantify its ecological and economic benefits and create added value for our customers. BASF‘s Eco-Efficiency Analysis is a cradle-to-gate examination of Green Sense Concrete beginning with the extraction of raw materials through the production of concrete.

Business connection

For durable and economically viable structures, concrete is an invaluable constituent. In terms of the overall quantities of a material used globally, concrete is only second to water. There is no other construction material that, on a global scale, would be able to replace concrete. The innovative Green Sense Concrete allows producers to increase their profitability, provide the contractor with a user-friendly mix and offers the opportunity to positively influence the environment.

Results

The main results can be summarized in three points:

  • Formulations of concrete mixtures that contain a high proportion of recycled materials
  • Decrease of carbon footprint and environmental impact of buildings
  • Extended lifecycles of buildings

The use of the Green Sense Concrete technology has for example led to savings of around 15,800 tons of CO2 equivalents and approximately 25,400 megawatt hours of energy and 504 tons of fossil fuels in the construction of the new One World Trade Center in New York City compared with a conventional concrete mix design.

Another important benefit of the optimized concrete mix design is the substantial reduction of installation related noise at the construction site: Since the admixtures ensured high flowability and self-compacting properties of the concrete mix, it was largely unnecessary to compress the concrete through vibration. This drastically reduced the noise exposure for local residents and workers at the construction site. Their sustainable attitude fosters supplier and consumer awareness, shaping their contribution to sustainable development.