Innovation in Action: Insights from Holcim’s Global Innovation Centre

As the construction industry accelerates its transition towards sustainable, low-carbon solutions, collaboration has never been more essential. That principle sits at the heart of Holcim’s Global Innovation Centre in Lyon, where our Head of Sustainability, Matt Robinson, recently joined a group of industry peers for an exclusive visit.

The invitation brought together professionals from across the construction supply chain – architects, engineers, contractors, developers and more – to explore the possibilities of sustainable concrete innovation through shared knowledge and expertise.

As Nick Powell, Head of Specification and Business Development at Holcim, put it, “The inspiration behind inviting customers from across the entire construction supply chain to the Holcim Global Innovation Centre is rooted in the power of collaboration and shared progress. At a time when the industry must accelerate its shift toward sustainable and low-carbon solutions, Holcim recognises that meaningful change happens through collective action. By bringing together architects, engineers, contractors, developers, and other key stakeholders, the Innovation Centre becomes a dynamic hub for networking, ideation, and co-creation.”

“Visitors engage directly with Holcim’s experts, experience cutting-edge technologies, and interact with pioneering solutions designed to drive decarbonisation and circular construction. These immersive experiences not only inspire new ideas but also provide a valuable platform for feedback and dialogue, ensuring Holcim’s innovations are shaped by real-world needs. Through hands-on demonstrations and open conversations, customers gain deeper insights into sustainable building materials and digital construction tools – while contributing their unique perspectives. Ultimately, the Centre fosters an environment where interaction leads to innovation, and partnerships turn bold ideas into tangible impact for the built environment.”

During the visit, several technologies stood out as particularly exciting for their potential application within Ambit’s own projects:

• 3D Printed Concrete Structures: Holcim’s 3D printing technology allows for complex, curved forms that are difficult to achieve with traditional methods. This not only expands design flexibility but also offers faster production and delivery times, and reduces formwork waste.
• Porous Concrete for Urban Drainage: This advanced concrete formulation allows water to pass through, making it ideal for urban paving where managing surface water, run-off, and reducing flood risk is increasingly critical.
• ECOPact Low-Carbon Concrete: As one of Holcim’s flagship low-carbon products, ECOPact can reduce CO2 emissions by at least 30%, at no detriment to performance, helping project teams meet increasingly stringent sustainability targets.

Following the visit, Ambit has already begun integrating these insights into live projects. At Rochester Row, we’ve specified Holcim’s new CEM VI mix to reduce embodied carbon. The project is also adopting Holcim’s takeback scheme, returning 60.5 tonnes of surplus concrete to the Holcim EcoCycle programme, where it has been fully recycled for reuse in new concrete mixes.

Visits like these help ensure that innovation is something we actively bring into our projects, and that we can continue supporting clients to deliver future-ready, responsible spaces. Thank you to Nick Powell and Anh Nguyen for sharing their expertise on the day – let’s keep collaborating for increased sustainability and performance across projects!