Grants and Contributions:

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Title:

Propelling Canada’s Low Carbon Built Environment: Pathways with Net-Zero Concrete

Agreement Number:

1040421

Agreement Value:

$363,000.00

Agreement Date:

Mar 16, 2026 - Mar 31, 2029

Description:

Despite being a major economic driver, Canada’s cement and concrete sector is one of the most challenging to decarbonize with Portland cement accounting for 90% of its emissions. Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) offer a promising emission reduction pathway, yet progress is constrained by declining supplies of traditional SCMs and siloed research hindering standardization. This Project introduces a novel Triaxial Research Framework to accelerate low-carbon concrete adoption by: (1) Identifying emerging SCMs and assessing their availability at commercial scales, (2) Fast-tracking lab-to-field performance validation, and (3) incorporating materials research, life-cycle-assessment, and standardization into a unified platform. Focused on three high-potential SCMs (ground-glass pozzolans, steel slag, and biomass ash), the Project conducts nationwide supply analysis, comprehensive lab-to-field testing, and life-cycle assessments from component to national scales. Outcomes include validated high-replacement SCM concretes, accelerated advancement to TRL 8, and charting of robust decarbonization pathways to lower Canada’s clinker-to-cement ratio and support Net-Zero goals.

Organization:

National Research Council Canada

Expected Results:

In the short term, anticipated outcomes will be strengthened collaborations across industry, academia, and government to support research excellence. In the medium term, anticipated outcomes will be the development of new and potentially disruptive technologies with collaborators. In the long term, find collaborative solutions to public policy challenges and create stronger innovation systems.

Location:

Hamilton, Ontario, CA L8S 4L8

Reference Number:

172-2025-2026-Q4-1040421

Agreement Type:

Grant

Report Type:

Grants and Contributions

Recipient Business Number:

119035988

Recipient Type:

Academia

Recipient's Legal Name:

McMaster University

Federal Riding Name:

Hamilton West--Ancaster--Dundas

Federal Riding Number:

35039

Program:

Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program - Collaborative R&D Initiatives

Program Purpose:

Collaborate on multiparty research and development programs to catalyze transformative, high-risk, high-reward research with the potential for game-changing scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs in priority areas.

NAICS Code:

541710 - R&D in the physical, engineering and life sciences