On 1 July, the Drastic project was represented at the Intercluster Conference Sustainable Construction in Barcelona, jointly organised by the Clúster de l'Energia Eficient de Catalunya and the Clúster de Materials Avançats de Catalunya, with the involvement of the Generalitat de Catalunya.

The conference brought together representatives from industry, research and public institutions to discuss opportunities and challenges for accelerating the transformation of the construction sector. Discussions focused on areas including energy efficiency, advanced materials, circularity and digitalisation, highlighting the importance of collaboration across different parts of the construction value chain.

Bringing circular solutions into industrial practice

Representing CELSA Group, Gustavo Goldschmidt introduced Drastic, outlining its objectives and the challenges involved in moving circular solutions from research and development into real industrial environments.

The event also provided an opportunity to present the work of Drastic's Spanish Demonstrator, located at Sorigué's facilities in Balaguer, Lleida. The Demonstrator is led by CELSA Group, with support from Lezama Demoliciones, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and Sorigué.

The Spanish Demonstrator focuses on two materials with significant potential for circularity and reducing life cycle emissions in construction: steel and cement.

Reusing structural steel

One of the key elements of the Demonstrator is the reuse of structural steel from the Litoral Thermal Power Plant in Almería.

The former power plant has been dismantled by Lezama Demoliciones, with structural elements being assessed for their potential to be recovered and reused. CELSA Group will carry out quality testing of the recovered steel elements, with UPC contributing its expertise in engineering, architecture and science.

By demonstrating the potential to incorporate recovered structural elements into a new building, the Demonstrator is exploring how reuse can become a more established part of the construction process and help reduce the need for new raw materials.

Turning a steelmaking by-product into a construction resource

The Demonstrator is also investigating the use of white slag, a by-product of the secondary steelmaking process, as a supplementary material in concrete.

CELSA Group will provide the white slag, which will be pre-processed for use in the concrete application. UPC will investigate the optimum level of clinker substitution, taking into account the expansive properties of white slag and the performance requirements of the final material.

This work aims to demonstrate how an industrial by-product that has previously been considered waste can instead be incorporated into construction applications, contributing to a more circular use of materials.

From demonstration to construction

The Spanish Demonstrator is now moving towards its next phase: the construction of a warehouse at Sorigué's facilities in Balaguer.

The warehouse will incorporate structural steel recovered from the former Litoral Thermal Power Plant, providing an opportunity to demonstrate the practical application of the circular approaches being developed by the project partners.

Stay tuned for further updates from the Spanish Demonstrator as construction gets underway.

Learn more about the Spanish Demonstrator.