Margaret Morgan - August 30, 2007
Holcim Trident Plant
Cement
Like a growing number of companies, Holcim (US) is seeking to reduce the company’s environmental footprint. In fact, as one of the world’s largest cement manufacturers, Holcim has taken a leadership role in implementing innovative processes and products to achieve a level of Sustainable Development that meets the needs of the present while not compromising the needs of future generations.
And, as is the case with all of Holcim’s manufacturing facilities, its Trident plant near Three Forks is making a significant contribution to this global effort. Recently, the Trident plant began developing its Envirocore line of cement products. The Envirocore family of products has been created to help achieve many of the eco-efficiency goals that Holcim has ambitiously undertaken. Simply defined, eco-efficiency is making more with less. Envirocore products may contain materials that have been recycled or co-processed. In the case of the Envirocore products manufactured at the Trident plant, limestone is added at the end of the cement manufacturing process, reducing energy requirements and emissions. The Trident plant’s Envirocore products have been used in residential developments in Montana as well as in the oil well industry.
Not only do these products support Holcim’s sustainable development initiatives, but they are also manufactured to meet applicable quality requirements and may be used in many of the applications for which regular cement is currently used.
Envirocore products have all the strength and durability—as well as the other critical attributes of cement—but require less energy to produce. Less energy consumption conserves fuel and helps reduce the effects of global warming.
Another benefit of the Trident plant’s Envirocore products is their preferred application in Green Building—design and construction practices that promote the physical and economic health of families, communities and the environment. Green Building is environmentally responsible development that makes more efficient use of building and sites, and better use of energy, water, and long-life construction materials. Of course, one of these materials is concrete made of products like Envirocore cement.
In fact, concrete, of which cement makes up a small part, has been shown to be an environmentally-friendly building material for a number of applications. Durability is a significant sustainable attribute of concrete because it will not rust, rot, or burn, requiring less energy and resources over time to repair or replace. Concrete structures such as sidewalks, building foundations, roadways and bridges, are durable, long-lasting structures. Built with the most widely used building material in the world, concrete structures have withstood the test of time for more than 2,000 years.
Indeed, after water, concrete is the second most used resource in the world. Architects, engineers, and builders are choosing concrete for its durability, recycled ingredients, and energy efficiency not found in other building materials like steel or wood. When compared with other building materials, concrete is a responsible choice for sustainable development.
Concrete structures help to conserve energy, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts over the life of a structure. In buildings, concrete exterior walls store warmth or cold to control temperature fluctuations.
Reflective concrete surfaces minimize cooling needs and conserve energy. Concrete’s reflective surfaces also contribute to indoor and outdoor lighting efficiencies.
The use of concrete for highways also has environmental benefits. The rigidity of concrete roads helps reduce vehicle fuel consumption—especially for commercial trucking, which accounts for a significant amount of traffic—again, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
For all of these reasons, it is easy to see why cement manufacturing continues to play a key role not only in Montana’s economy, but in helping to create a sustainable future for generations to come.
This is Margaret Morgan for the Holcim Trident Plant, Three Forks, Montana.
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