Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed a new type of cement that can be produced in an ecologically compatible and energy-saving manner. In recognition of their work, the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology has presented them with the German Material Efficiency Award. The award recognises the scientists’ application-orientated research in the field of material efficiency. Compared to conventional production processes, the new method consumes only half the energy and emits half as much carbon dioxide.

Furthermore, the new process consumes fewer raw materials. “We require as little as one-third of the limestone and do entirely without gypsum,” says scientist Dr. Peter Stemmermann in respect of the advantages of the resource-conserving cement.

So far, the KIT scientists have produced the new cement on the laboratory scale. After over a year of intensive testing, Celitement GmbH iis now setting up a pilot plant at KIT Campus Nord (investment volume: five million euros). As of spring 2011, the pilot plant will deliver 100 kilograms of cement per day. The company is a spin-off established by the four inventors, KIT and the industrial partner SCHWENK Zement KG.

State Secretary Jochen Homann presented the award on 17 November in the context of the conference on resource efficiency in research and practice (Mit Ressourceneffizienz auf der Siegerstraße - Praxis und Forschung zeigen den Weg) in Berlin.

German Material Efficiency Award

The annual German Material Efficiency Award is presented by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology to advertise the positive economic and ecological effects of material efficiency. The award carries a cash price of 10,000 euros each for five technically outstanding products, processes or services.

Deutsche Materialeffizienzagentur – demea

Specialist information on the subject is available from Deutsche Materialeffizienzagentur demea on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. In addition, the agency provides small and medium-sized enterprises with advice on the support initiatives VerMat (consultancy programme for SMEs regarding profitable improvements in the field of material efficiency) and NeMat (programme promoting networks working for profitable improvements in the field of material efficiency, primarily in SMEs).