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Cement Association of Canada launches Contempra

World Cement,


The Cement Association of Canada and its members have introduced a new product to the Canadian market: Contempra™.

This is a new cement that decreases CO2 emissions by 10% while still producing concrete with a level of strength and durability comparable to that produced with regular Portland cement. The development is a direct result of the industry’s commitment to proactively improve its environmental footprint with state-of-the-art, sustainable products to meet today’s building needs.

“Contempra marks a pivotal advancement in sustainable construction and we are proud to introduce it to the Canadian market here at Greenbuild,” said Michael McSweeney, President and CEO, Cement Association of Canada. “We want to be an even larger contributor to climate change solutions and Contempra makes concrete an even smarter choice to help build stronger, more sustainable communities.”

By reducing greenhouse gas emissions during the manufacturing process, Contempra will make a significant contribution to more sustainable construction and cleaner air in Canada. Once adopted for all suitable concrete applications, it is expected to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 900 000 t annually – that is equivalent to taking 172 000 cars off the road or planting 23 million trees every year.

While regular Portland cement may contain up to 5% limestone, Contempra is manufactured by inter-grinding regular clinker with up to 15% limestone. By reducing the amount of clinker used in manufacturing cement, this process naturally reduces the amount of energy and greenhouse gas emissions required to manufacture it. This is key, since while cement typically represents only 11% of a concrete mix, it accounts for more than 80% of all energy required to produce concrete.

Contempra makes concrete — already known for its safety, sustainability, durability, resiliency, versatility, energy-efficient attributes and contribution to LEED certification — an even smarter choice for building stronger communities.  Given this reduction in its environmental footprint, the cement industry is working to have Contempra recognised in the LEED building rating system as a more sustainable building practice.

While new to the Canadian market, Contempra has an extensive proven track record in Europe — where it is known as Portland-limestone cement — in a variety of commercial and residential applications for over 25 years.

Contempra is included under the name Portland-limestone cement in the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) cement and concrete standards, now referenced in the 2010 National Building Code of Canada and approved for use in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. It will be approved for use in the other provincial jurisdictions once they adopt the 2010 NBCC or update their references to the current cement and concrete standards.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/07102011/cement_association_of_canada_launches_contempra/

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