The story behind the successful ‘near-zero’ cement flooring project

Swedish green technology firm Cemvision has completed its largest real-world commercial project to date, installing a 1,000 square meter “near-zero” concrete flooring.

The project demonstrates that the concept of low-carbon construction is practical in demanding large-scale industrial environments.

The project in Upplands Bro, north of Stockholm, was a partnership between Cemvision, real estate company Stendörren, flooring specialist Linotol and contractor Norra Stockholm Bygg. The concrete used was developed to replace traditional carbon-intensive concrete by using recycled industrial by-products instead of virgin limestone. Fossil fuel-free electricity was used to manufacture the concrete. This concrete production process reduces CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to traditionally made concrete.

The concrete was installed using standard equipment, workflows and normal casting methods. This means that the “net-zero” concrete can be used without requiring specialised equipment, and workers need no additional training to safely use the material. The concrete flooring meets the high-performance specifications for industrial slabs, and there are no additional safety risks.

There is a high demand for concrete flooring. especially for new data centres for the rapidly growing AI industry. At the same time, there is increasing pressure from operators of data centres and warehouses to reduce their environmental footprint. Cemvision has shown that low-carbon emission concrete flooring can have the strength and build quality required for heavy-duty flooring whilst lessening a building’s impact on the environment.

Sustainable concrete is part of a transition towards more environmentally friendly construction practices. Near-zero concrete is one of many alternatives to traditional building materials that have been developed recently.