Nairobi — Bamburi Cement Plc has kicked off a regional construction sector thought leadership series to rally the sector towards decarbonisation.

The firm will engage designers, engineers, developers, contractors, materials manufacturers, and industry bodies in Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nairobi on how to transition towards a low-carbon pathway.

The built environment accounts for around 42 percent of annual global CO2 emissions.

Building operations account for approximately 27 percent of overall emissions, with the embodied carbon of only four construction and infrastructure materials--cement, iron, steel, and aluminium--accounting for an additional 15 percent.

Speaking to over 120 sector players in Mombasa, Bamburi Cement CEO Mohit Kapoor urged the sector to lead the way in securing a decarbonised and competitive future for the sector.

"The construction process and the materials used contribute heavily to carbon emissions (CO2). We are calling for a sector collaboration and a shift towards sustainable construction which uses greener and more environmentally friendly construction solutions," Kapoor elaborated.

These engagements come amid local and global pressure for cement and concrete sector players to take ambitious steps towards decarbonising and making building environments more sustainable.

In efforts to offer a greener choice of building materials, Bamburi Cement is transitioning to low-carbon certified and sustainably produced cement brands, which have more than 30 percent fewer CO2 emissions than regular Portland cement.

"The choice of building materials is crucial to sustainable construction. Today, most of our line of certified and sustainably produced cement brands have more than 30% lower CO2 emissions as compared to the Ordinary Portland Cement or CEM I cement. Our flagship product is Duracem 42.5 cement with a massive CO2 reduction of 64%."