Urbanization Solutions

Prepared to meet the opportunities of sustainable urbanization

As of 2020, 4.2 billion people, or 55% of the world’s population lives in cities. The World Bank estimates this number will grow by 1.6 million people every week for the next 30 years. In the next decades, cities will face unprecedented demands for housing, transportation, energy, infrastructure, jobs, and basic services like education and healthcare. Recent events have also shown the crucial importance of resilience against extreme weather events and health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

55% of the world’s population lives in cities

68% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050^*

* Source: United Nations (2018)

Accelerated urbanization demands smarter construction that contributes to mitigating climate change and resource scarcity while improving social wellbeing. CEMEX is uniquely positioned to provide integrated solutions for the construction and maintenance of more sustainable and resilient cities.

Through our business of cement, ready-mix concrete, and aggregates, CEMEX has a successful track record of providing the construction industry with innovative solutions and high-quality materials. In order to better serve the needs of our customers, we’re integrating and complementing our portfolio to provide comprehensive offerings aimed at the needs of growing urban centers.

Urbanization Solutions is collaborating with architects, developers, suppliers, and local governments to find solutions for affordable housing, efficient buildings, and resilient infrastructure — all powered by technological innovation and a constantly evolving regulatory landscape.

This is an evolutionary step forward for CEMEX that will uniquely position the company as a partner for the key players in building the cities of tomorrow.

An integrated portfolio of Urbanization Solutions

Through Urbanization Solutions, we are capitalizing on our critical mass and expertise in building materials to offer complementary solutions to solve the most pressing needs for cities: net-zero and sustainability, circular solutions, and resilient buildings and infrastructure.

Net-Zero & Sustainable Cities

Construction materials, techniques, and technologies to build net zero buildings, electric mobility infrastructure to support sustainability goals in cities. Solutions to improve energy efficiency insulation, embodied carbon, and safety play a key role in achieving more sustainable construction. From mitigating carbon emissions and energy use to improving safety and transportation, our portfolio can support sustainability goals in many different ways.

Resilient Buildings and Infrastructure

Solutions for safer, more resistant, and more adaptable buildings and infrastructure are key for resilient cities. Through our integrated offerings we can enable cities to face the challenges of today and tomorrow, with the well-being of their residents our top priority.

Circular Solutions

We’re leading the industry in new technologies and solutions for the efficient use of resources and re-evaluation of waste flows, converting expended resources into value-additive materials like recycled aggregates and alternative fuels. Waste management, recycling, and reusing are key elements in our portfolio that directly contribute to a circular economy.

Providing integrated solutions for sustainable urbanization, enabling infinite possibilities for producing unique, high-performing materials.

Admixtures are an efficient way of enhancing our portfolio of high-performance materials.

Illustrative examples are the recently developed ISODUST and ISOFINES, which reduce the need for quicklime and mitigate the amount of dust generated (up to 10 microns) at construction sites, including ground excavation of complex tunneling projects. Treated material is transported and disposed of safely, improving the air quality in urban areas and contributing to depolluting cities.

CEMEX supplies 200,000 tons of admixtures each year for cement manufacture, concrete production, and mortars to over 14 countries.

CEMEX’s admixture range of construction chemistry covers a multitude of product areas, providing high-quality, efficient solutions for the following: grinding agents, plasticizers, superplasticizers, accelerators, retardants, air entraining, as well as water-repelling and water-retaining agents and stabilizers.

Admixtures improve performance, save time, reduce material costs, and enhance outcome quality.

Mortars and Special Mortars

Wembley Stadium, London, UK

Our Mortars and Special Mortars technology has become essential for the increasing building rehabilitation and energy efficiency needs for sustainable and resilient cities of today and tomorrow.

A wide range of mortar systems for adherence, protection, and complex urban challenges.
Specialist solutions for decoration, building, landscaping, and renovation purposes.

Examples of mortar uses are:

The redevelopment of Wembley Stadium, where we supplied a bespoke white mortar to compliment the stadium façade (image).
Tideway Super Sewer Project, which is the largest water industry project in Europe and is being constructed to keep the Thames clean during periods of heavy rain.

Questions?

We're here to answer any questions or concerns you might have. We also appreciate any feedback you'd like to give. It's only through close relationships and an ongoing dialogue with our customers that we're able to better serve your needs.