Edinburgh Napier University

  Cement production requires intensive use of natural raw materials and energy. It also
results in emissions to the atmosphere, the most significant being COZ. Studies estimate
that the cement industry is responsible for 5% of global man-made COZ emissions.
Managing and reducing these emissions is therefore a key priority. Cement emissions
come from the following sources: chemical clinker-making process (50%-60 %),
combustion of fossil fuels (40%), and indirect emissions from purchased electrical
power (5%). This research has been carried out with the main objective of assessing the
environmental impact of cement production and the potential for reducing its CO2
emissions. To achieve this objective, the performances of three cement companies were
investigated and specific indicators set to measure the development of each company
and benchmark the performances against each other. The research takes into account
social, economic and environmental factors. The assessment used in this study is based
on the WBCSD initiatives and its sustainability approach to cement production.
This assessment has been conducted by indicating the best performance cement
company and displaying the weak points of each of the benchmarked companies. This
benchmark was used not only to estimate the environmental impact of cement
operations and production among best performance companies, but also to determine
new opportunities for efficient cement production, energy efficiency consumption, and
low COZ emissions. This study used the benchmark to analyse the Lafarge, Holcim, and
Taiheiyo cement companies.
The research investigation is based on the review and analyses of data collected during
authorised visits to the operating sites of each of these cement companies. Further
required data was obtained from the companies' Sustainable Development Reports. A
procedure for developing comparable environmental performance indicators, useful for
benchmarking, has been described. This procedure has been used to develop key
Environmental Performance Indicators, also taking into account economic and social
.performance. Both strengths and weaknesses are pointed out in different sections of the
case studies. First, the benchmark, the resources to be included and the return figures
play a determinant role in the quality of the results. Second, the assessment of
environmental performance was evaluated by using specific indicators, including the
imperatives indicators to investigate options for reducing COZ emissions throughout the
process of manufacturing.
The chief original contribution of this research is to identify the opportunities and
potential for reducing the CO2 released from cement production, and to develop a model
to allow evaluations to be made at different times during the cement manufacturing
process of different cement companies, with varying priority levels of selected
environmental performance indicators. Recommendations are made to manufacturers
and the cement market in order to achieve higher levels of environmental performance
(that is, less COZ emissions). This work opens new horizons for further research in this
field.