Cement maker Holcim Philippines has urged local contractors to use environment-friendly construction materials both for public and private projects.

At the press conference of the relaunching of Holcim’s flagship brand Excel ECOPlanet in Pasay City Tuesday, Holcim Philippines president and chief executive officer Horia Adrian said utilizing low-carbon products in the construction industry will help the country in meeting its commitments to climate action.

“Construction industry is one of the industries that are, let’s say, contributing to this CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions,” he said.

Adrian said the company continues to engage with national and local authorities to discuss the benefits of using eco-friendly cements and other construction materials, especially as the government boosts its infrastructure program.

“We are here to be partners and we are here to provide what is needed to reduce the CO2 emission for construction industry and to decarbonize the construction industry in the country,” he told reporters.

Adrian said the appetite in the Philippines for eco-friendly products has increased amid the impacts of climate change.

Excel ECOPlanet, which has components of recycled waste materials from steel, power plants and limestone, among others, has 30 percent less carbon emission compared to ordinary Portland cement.

Adrian said Holcim Philippines’ manufacturing facilities were able to use a million tons of recycled waste blended to its cement products.

He said the company is also interested in recycling waste materials from constructions and demolitions.

“We are making a serious pledge here in embedding recycling into the new way of building,” he added. “We should preserve the natural resources. We should make sure that we build more with old materials.” (PNA)