NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

In a recent report, the Reserve Bank of India said that the country’s desire to reduce the economy’s carbon intensity by 45% by 2030 “necessitates a policy relook across sectors, especially where carbon emission is high”, and that the “cement industry is one of them”.

Given that over 250 million people are expected to be added to India’s urban population in the next two decades, which will translate to growing demand for building materials like cement, it’s imperative to find more sustainable and less carbon-intensive solutions.

There is the option of not employing cement at all, but given its strength and durability, it’s the material of choice for many in the construction industry.

But ordinary portland cement, which ranks among the most common types used, consists of 95% clinker. A major raw material for the clinker-making is usually limestone mixed with a second material containing clay as a source of alumino-silicate.