CLUSTERING AND COOPERATION

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A.SPIRE

A.SPIRE is a European Association committed to managing and implementing the Processes4Planet co-programmed partnership. A.SPIRE represents 20% of the European manufacturing sector, with 180+ stakeholders from 20+ countries in industries like cement, ceramics, chemicals, engineering, minerals, non-ferrous metals, pulp and paper, refining, steel, and water. Their mission is to develop technologies and practices for resource-efficient large-scale value chain production.

  • A.SPIRE collaborates with numerous industry associations including CEMBUREAU (cement), Cerame-Unie (ceramics), Cefic (chemicals), European Aluminium, IMA-Europe (industrial minerals), Cepi (paper), the European Fuels Manufacturers Association, ESTEP (steel), and WaterEurope to enhance sustainability and innovation in their respective fields. More about all the sectors involved in the assciation can be found here.

  • Processes4Planet (P4Planet) is a European public-private Partnership between A.SPIRE and the European Commission, aimed at transforming European process industries to achieve climate neutrality and circularity by 2050 while enhancing global competitiveness.

  • A.SPIRE has launched the booklet featuring Carbon4Minerals project titled Innovation and Sustainability in the European Process Industries: Processes4Planet Partnership Projects 2021 and 2022, highlighting 27 projects funded by the European Union through the P4Planet partnership, organized under five themes: renewable energy integration, carbon capture and utilization (CCU), materials circularity, digitalization for traceable value chains, and Hubs4Circularity.

Logo 'CO2 TREAT' and three gray ice cube trays.

CO₂TREAT Project

CO₂TREAT is an EU (Era-MIN3) funded project which aims to develop low-carbon, resource-efficient binders for durable concrete and civil engineering applications by partially replacing Portland cement with secondary materials treated with CO₂. The project focuses on using industrial by-products like steel slag and fly ash, which undergo CO₂ treatment to create stable mineral carbonates, promoting circular design and increasing resource efficiency.

  • Specific objectives include CO₂ treatment of high-volume industrial residues, recovering metallic iron from steel slags, and designing sustainable binders that meet performance standards.

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RILEM TC

Technical Committee MCP - Accelerated Mineral Carbonation for the production of construction materials. This TC will mainly address the relationship between material characteristics and processing parameters. An important part of the activities will involve the consolidation of recent developments in the field and building consensus on their classification, definition of terms and assessment. This part will mostly involve surveying, reviewing and analysing existing data.

  • RILEM advances scientific knowledge in construction materials by fostering international collaboration and promoting sustainable, durable construction methods to address global challenges. Its vision is to improve safety, sustainability, and performance in the construction sector through innovative research and testing.

  • RILEM coordinates Technical Committees, organizes international conferences, and publishes research to advance construction materials and systems. With members from over 70 countries, RILEM collaborates with academic, research, and industrial partners to promote sustainable construction practices.

  • The 1st RILEM International Conference on Mineral Carbonation for Cement and Concrete, co-organized by Carbon4Minerals and CO₂TREAT, was held April 16–17 in Aachen, Germany, bringing together experts to discuss reducing CO₂ emissions in cement and concrete production.

    With 160 participants from research, academia, and industry, the conference focused on range of innovative projects, such as CO₂TREAT and Carbon4Minerals. Some key talks were from institutions such as VITO, RWTH Aachen, and HM. You can read more about their work in the conference proceedings.

    The success of this conference has paved the way for continued global collaboration, with a second event already announced for 2026 in Japan.

Conference or expo event with people gathered around a display booth in a large, modern, indoor space with high glass windows and wooden flooring.
A crowded indoor event space with people socializing, some standing around tables with drinks. The room has high ceilings, modern lighting, large glass windows letting in natural light, and display boards or posters set up for presentations or networ
Attendees at the international conference seated in chairs, engaging in conversations and listening to a speaker in the conference room with a presentation screen displaying event information in the background.
Conference room with attendees seated at tables, some using laptops or phones, with a presentation screen at the front displaying information about a conference on cement and concrete.
A conference room filled with people sitting at long tables, some working on laptops and others taking notes. There is a large screen at the front displaying a presentation titled 'CO2 TREAT' with additional text about carbon negative SCM and mineral
A man in a suit is giving a presentation with a microphone in front of a projection screen that displays a slide with the title "Background" and various text boxes. The room has large windows and a modern ceiling with linear lights.
Two vertical banners displayed in a conference hall. The left banner features the logo and information about Carbon4Minerals, emphasizing transforming CO₂ into construction products. The right banner promotes CO₂ Treat, highlighting resource-efficien
A presentation screen at a conference on mineral carbonation for cement and concrete, with logos for RILEM, Aachen University, and Carbon4Minerals, and a group of people seated and standing in a room with large windows.
Indoor conference room filled with seated attendees listening to a presentation. A large screen displays slides, and the room has large windows and ceiling lights.
A conference room filled with attendees, with a large presentation screen displaying information about the 1st RILEM International Conference on Mineral Carbonation for Cement and Concrete, held in Japan in 2026. A speaker stands at the front, engagi
A woman giving a presentation on low-carbon cements from CO2-treated steel slag in a conference room filled with seated audience members.
A woman is giving a presentation to an audience in a conference room. The presentation slide on screen features a diagram about carbon minerals. Attendees are seated at tables, some taking notes or using laptops, with large windows on the side allowi
A conference room filled with attendees, a large presentation screen displaying a question, and a speaker at the front.
Presentation in a conference room with a large screen displaying a slide about a project called CO2 TREAT. There are three people standing at the front, one woman speaking and two men listening, with an audience of empty chairs in the foreground.

PORTALS

  • Logo for Enlit Europe featuring a yellow and orange dotted circle surrounding the words "Enlit Europe" in black text.

    Enlit Europe

    Enlit Europe is a dynamic and inclusive platform dedicated to advancing the energy transition in Europe. With a mission to connect industries, inspire action, and facilitate the evolution towards a decarbonized and digitalized energy system, Enlit strives to deliver clean, affordable, and reliable energy for all. Enlit's digital platform, Enlit.World, attracts over 170,000 unique users per month.

    Website
  • A logo for BUILD UP, a European portal focused on energy efficiency in buildings, with the title in large blue and green text.

    BUILD UP

    The BUILD UP web portal is the largest portal and principal reference point for energy efficiency and renewable energy related to the building and construction sector in Europe. It aims at exchanging information and features the latest events, news, and developments at both the technical and practical levels, policy legislation, financial issues and aspects, and much more. 

    Website
  • Logo of ECTP with a multicolored hexagonal shape and the text "ECTP INNOVATIVE BUILT ENVIRONMENT".

    ECTP

    The European Construction, Built Environment and Energy Efficient Building Technology Platform (ECTP) is a leading membership organisation promoting and influencing the future of the Built Environment. They connect people and organisations from across the supply chain, helping us work collectively to improve our position on many societal and industrial issues including energy, climate change, efficiency and infrastructure.

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