Global Network Unites in Panama to Advance Sustainable Concrete

20 Mar 2025 CW Team

The Innovandi Global Cement and Concrete Research Network (GCCRN) is hosting its Spring Week from March 17 to 21, 2025, in Panama City, bringing together delegates from over 40 academic institutions and 30 industry members to accelerate sustainable cement and concrete innovations.

The event aims to foster research that drives decarbonisation in the cement and concrete industry, aligning with the goal of achieving net-zero concrete by 2050.

“To reach net-zero concrete by 2050, collaboration beyond our industry is essential. Spring Week provides a vital platform for innovation,” said Davide Zampini, GCCRN Industrial Chair and Vice President of Global Research Development at Cemex.

Karen Scrivener, GCCRN’s Scientific Chair and Director at EPFL, highlighted the event’s importance, stating that it marks a milestone in advancing net-zero research through diverse global collaboration.

Spring Week enables industrial and academic leaders to engage directly with PhD students, postdocs, and researchers worldwide, all focused on decarbonising concrete.

Innovandi GCCRN connects industry and academia to drive pre-competitive research, investing €10 million annually, including €1.2 million dedicated to CO? reduction.

Sessions will explore key topics, including:

Alternative materials and processes
Concrete recycling innovations
Renewable energy integration
Kiln electrification
Carbon capture advancements

Spring Week aims to catalyse breakthroughs in sustainable concrete solutions, reinforcing global efforts to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.

Infrastructure Transport

12 Mar 2026

Kavach 4.0 Commissioned on Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Howrah

"Kavach version four has been commissioned on 1,452 route km, covering the high density Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Howrah corridors. The rollout included laying 8,570 km of optical fibre, installation of 1,100 telecom towers, deployment of trackside equipment over 6,776 RKm and establishment of 767 station data centres. Trackside implementation has been taken up on 24,427 RKm covering Golden Quadrilateral, Golden Diagonal and High Density Network sections. The programme aims to strengthen signalling and train protection on key routes.Kavach is an indigenously developed automatic train protecti..

Railways Advance Kalyan–Murbad Line And Mumbai Capacity Expansion

"Indian Railways is advancing multiple rail infrastructure projects in Maharashtra, including the sanctioned Kalyan–Murbad new line and sizable investments under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project and the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project. The Kalyan–Murbad 28 km new line has been sanctioned at Rs 8.36 billion (bn) on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis with the Government of Maharashtra and has been declared a Special Railway Project for land acquisition; proposals covering 214 hectares are at various stages of acquisition. Budgetary outlay for projects falling fully or partly in Maharash..

Parliamentary Panel Flags Funding Gaps in Heavy Industries

"The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry (Rajya Sabha) presented its 332nd report on the Demands for Grants 2026-27 of the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI). Figures converted from crore and lakh are expressed in million (mn). The Budget Estimates 2026-27 for the Ministry stand at Rs 79,399 mn against a projected requirement of Rs 94,843.2 mn, a shortfall of about 16 per cent, with revenue at Rs 79,370.8 mn and capital compressed to Rs 28.2 mn from Rs 5,020 mn.The committee flagged recurring BE-to-RE compression and declining revised estimate utilisation, and calle..