The company's cement-free building materials are revolutionizing sustainable construction, even in the heart of New York City.
SAN LEANDRO, Calif., Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- C-Crete Technologies, a pioneer in sustainable building materials, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by having the world's first granite-based concrete – completely devoid of Portland cement and CO2 emissions – poured at a building site in Manhattan.
C-Crete's granite concrete was poured at 270 Park Avenue, Manhattan, the site of JPMorganChase's new global headquarters, a building designed by the renowned architectural firm Foster + Partners and engineered by Severud Associates Consulting Engineers.
C-Crete’s 12 cubic yard pour of the world’s first granite-based concrete devoid of Portland cement and CO2 was for a topping slab located on the upper lobby of the supertall at 270 Park Ave, Manhattan. Photo Credit: Foster+Partners, NYC Constructors, and C-Crete Technologies
"We are thrilled to introduce our new granite-based concrete at such a prestigious and iconic location," said Rouzbeh Savary, founder and president of C-Crete Technologies. "The building at 270 Park Avenue is set to become a landmark not only for its architectural grandeur, but also for its sustainable construction practices."
"We are always looking at new technologies that support the practice of Green Building," said Chris DeLuca, a director at Tishman Speyer, the project developer. "We spent several months with our partners researching and testing C-Crete and are extremely excited about the success of this test pour and future opportunities to utilize this product on a larger scale."
The project highlights how these forward-thinking companies – JPMorganChase, Tishman Speyer, Foster + Partners, Severud Associates, AECOM Tishman and SRM Ready Mix – are leading the charge to integrate superior new materials into urban development.
The July 8 event was a 12 cubic yard pour of granite concrete for a topping slab located on the upper lobby of the supertall. (A supertall is a skyscraper between roughly 1,000 and 2,000 feet tall.)
This pour builds upon previous successful pours of C-Crete concretes at other buildings, each employing a distinct feedstock, such as zeolite or basalt, rocks available in great supply on every continent. Granite is a non-carbonate rock primarily composed of silicon, aluminium and calcium, three of the Earth's most abundant elements. In terms of volume, it is the most abundant rock on Earth, even more plentiful than the limestone used for manufacturing Portland cement.
And, unlike Portland cement – the production of which is responsible for approximately 8 percent of global CO2 emissions – cement binders made from granite, zeolite and basalt emit no CO2 during manufacturing. Moreover, the curing process of these concretes actually captures CO2 from the atmosphere, further enhancing their ability to lower carbon emissions.
"The performance of C-Crete for concrete on metal deck, topping slabs, sidewalks and landscape work, coupled with its eco-friendly attributes, makes it a revolutionary product for the future of the construction industry," said Fortunato Orlando, senior associate principal at Severud Associations Consulting Engineers. "The ease of handling and smooth curing process are significant advantages that enhance overall construction efficiency and quality."
C-Crete's granite-based concrete maintains similar or even better performance than concrete made with Portland cement. It shows a compressive strength exceeding 5,000 psi. It demonstrates pumpability, workability, setting time and surface finish akin to conventional concrete, while meeting ASTM International standards for mechanical and durability properties, a fact verified by independent third parties. Crucially, it achieves these feats while maintaining cost-parity with conventional concrete.
Thus C-Crete's granite concrete is helping the construction industry take a significant step forward in reducing its environmental footprint following the 200-year reign of carbon-heavy limestone-based concrete as the backbone of our buildings, schools, hospitals, and other built infrastuctures.
"We're proud to lead the way in not simply building – but building to ensure a stronger, more resilient, and sustainable future for generations to come," said John Kovacs, chief operating officer at AECOM Tishman. "Just a few years ago, constructing devoid of Portland cement and CO2 emissions would have seemed unimaginable. And yet today, we stand as the world's first, industry trailblazers setting new thresholds of what's possible in sustainable construction. We thank all of our partners on this project and look forward to the day when CO2 emission-free construction is not simply an idea or a new innovation, but the industry standard across every build."
About:C-Crete Technologies is a leading materials science company committed to inventing, building and scaling up the next generation of infrastructure materials with ultra-low or negative CO2 footprints. With a relentless focus on environmental stewardship and technological innovation, C-Crete aims to address the global challenges of climate change while delivering superior infrastructure materials at scale.
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