Grant: Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program - Collaborative R&D Initiatives
McMaster University
$363,000.00
Propelling Canada’s Low Carbon Built Environment: Pathways with Net-Zero Concrete
FY 2025-26 · 2026-03-16
Summary
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.
Department
Program
Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program - Collaborative R&D Initiatives
Recipient
Location
Hamilton|Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Business Number
119035988
Type
Grant
Source
Proactive Disclosure - Grants and Contributions
As published
Reference Number
172-2025-2026-Q4-1040421
Amendment Number
0
Agreement Type
Grant
Recipient Type
S
Recipient Business Number
119035988
Recipient Legal Name
McMaster University
Recipient Country
CA
Recipient Province or Territory
ON
Recipient City
Hamilton|Hamilton
Recipient Postal Code
L8S 4L8
Federal Riding
Hamilton West--Ancaster--Dundas
Federal Riding (French)
Hamilton-Ouest--Ancaster--Dundas
Federal Riding Number
35039
Program Name
Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program - Collaborative R&D Initiatives
Program Name (French)
Programme de collaboration en science, en technologie et en innovation - Initiatives de collaboration en R-D
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.
Program Purpose (French)
Collaborer à des programmes multipartites de recherche-développement dans le but de profiter de la synergie entre la recherche transformatrice à haut risque et à haut rendement et le potentiel de découvertes scientifiques et de percées technologiques révolutionnaires dans des secteurs d’intervention prioritaires.
Agreement Title
Propelling Canada’s Low Carbon Built Environment: Pathways with Net-Zero Concrete
Agreement Title (French)
Accélérer l’environnement bâti à faible carbone au Canada : voies vers un béton carboneutre
Agreement Number
1040421
Agreement Value
$363,000.00
Agreement Start Date
2026-03-16
Agreement End Date
2029-03-31
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.
Description (French)
La réduction des émissions du secteur du ciment repose sur le développement de matériaux cimentaires supplémentaires et sur un cadre de recherche intégré.
L’approche comprend l’identification de nouveaux matériaux, la validation accélérée et l’intégration de l’analyse du cycle de vie et de la normalisation, afin de soutenir des trajectoires crédibles vers la carboneutralité.
NAICS Code
541710 - R&D in the physical, engineering and life sciences
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.
Expected Results (French)
À court terme, les résultats prévus seront des collaborations renforcées entre l'industrie, le milieu universitaire et le gouvernement pour soutenir l'excellence en recherche. À moyen terme, les résultats attendus seront le développement de nouvelles technologies potentiellement perturbatrices avec des collaborateurs. À long terme, trouver des solutions collaboratives aux défis des politiques publiques et créer des systèmes d'innovation plus solides.
Organization Code
nrc-cnrc
Organization
National Research Council Canada | Conseil national de recherches Canada
