Welcome to another week of Shaken Not Burned! 

Cement might not be sexy, but it accounts for 8% of global emissions. It lies at the heart of most of what we build, from housing and highways, to power plants and data centres. As the world races to upgrade aging infrastructure and build new systems to meet rising demand, we aren’t going to slow down construction.

We can, however, change what we build with. Decarbonising concrete isn’t just a climate imperative – it’s a long-term investment in structures that will shape our world for generations.

Understanding the decarbonisation of construction is essential to climate and sustainability literacy because the sector is a major source of global emissions, largely in the form of embodied emissions. These occur during the production of materials such as cement and steel, locking in the environmental impact of construction in buildings and infrastructure. This makes early design and sourcing decisions pivotal.

This week, Felicia talks to Grant Quasha, chief executive of Eco Material Technologies about policy, power demand, carbon tariffs, AI, and basically the future of construction itself. As the largest supplier of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in North America, the company transforms waste into low-carbon construction materials – replacing traditional, high-emission Portland cement with greener, high-performance alternatives derived from coal ash and steel slag.

Eco Material Technologies’ approach reflects a broader shift toward circular economy principles, turning industrial waste into valuable inputs and reducing overall material demand. It requires systems thinking, connecting policy, energy, industry, and urban development. As pressure mounts to meet climate targets while upgrading and expanding global infrastructure, the construction sector sits at the heart of one of the most urgent and high-impact opportunities for change.

In this episode, we cover the surprising environmental potential of coal ash recycling and why blended cements now make up over 50% of the US cement market, how AI-driven energy demand is affecting the construction and power sectors, and the role of tariffs, carbon border taxes, and domestic supply chains in shaping the future of green materials. Most importantly, we explore why sustainability and cost-efficiency no longer have to be at odds.

Reading materials:

• What is a sustainable built environment?

• Circularity in the built environment

• Why is concrete so damaging to the environment?

• What are sedimentary cementitious materials (SCMs)?

• Why a circular built environment makes economic and environmental sense

• Net zero carbon buildings explained: here’s why they matter

• To Cut Infrastructure CO2 Footprint By 50% - Start With Design

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram – and why not spread the word with your friends and colleagues?