From a Swiss lab to Jewar's runway: The 16-year journey of a cement that cuts emissions by 40%

The Noida International Airport in Jewar has become the first large-scale project in India to use Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3), a low-carbon alternative to conventional cement that was developed by a team of researchers led by Swiss scientist Karen Scrivener.

Used in the airport's runway and one building complex, LC3 can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 40 per cent compared to ordinary Portland cement, making it one of the most closely watched innovations in the construction sector.

"It (Jewar airport) was the first full-scale use of LC3. It was a great achievement. It shows India's commitment to low-carbon alternatives," Scrivener, a professor at Switzerland's École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), told ThePrint in Lausanne.

First large-scale use in India

The Noida International Airport, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March this year, is being positioned as a world-class aviation hub serving the Delhi-NCR region and western Uttar Pradesh.

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According to airport officials, LC3 cement was used in the construction of the runway and one building complex, making the project the first commercial-scale deployment of the technology in India.

"We are the first large-scale project in India to use LC3 cement. The NIA has become an example that many big infrastructure projects can follow going forward," said Nicolas Schenk, Chief Development Officer of Noida International Airport.

The airport is being developed and operated by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich International Airport. The concession period for the project began in October 2021 and will run for 40 years.

What makes LC3 different

LC3 is a composite cement made from portland clinker, calcined clay and limestone. Researchers say it requires less energy to produce and generates significantly lower emissions than traditional cement.

The material also uses low-grade limestone and clay, which are widely available, helping lower production costs.

According to researchers involved in the project, LC3 is nearly 25 per cent cheaper to produce while offering environmental benefits that could help countries meet sustainability targets.

The Cement Manufacturers' Association (CMA) has identified LC3 as one of several emerging low-carbon alternatives being explored by the industry.

"In recent years, a lot of research and development has taken place to develop low-carbon cement alternatives like LC3, geopolymer binders, belite-rich cement and other novel cements," a CMA document said.

"The industry is increasingly moving toward more sustainable and environmentally viable options, and LC3 is an option that many cement manufacturers are exploring."

Several companies, including JK Lakshmi, JK Cement and UltraTech, have already introduced LC3 variants.

A project that took 16 years

The origins of LC3 can be traced back to discussions between Scrivener and Professor Fernando Martirena of Cuba's Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas (UCLV) around 2004.

The pair explored the use of calcined clays for pozzolans—materials that react chemically with calcium hydroxide in the presence of moisture to form strong bonding compounds.

Supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Swiss Agency of Development and Cooperation (SDC), the research project formally began in 2005. The first phase ran until 2008.

In 2014, IIT-Delhi and IIT-Madras joined the initiative, strengthening India's role in the development of the technology.

After years of laboratory testing, field studies and safety assessments, LC3 was ready for commercial deployment in 2020.

"It is definitely an achievement I am proud of," Scrivener said.

Choosing access over patents

Students and colleagues at EPFL say Scrivener could have patented the technology but instead chose to keep it widely accessible.

"She is extremely passionate about this. She could have earned a lot from her work, but she wanted the world to have a low-carbon cement option that was easily and affordably accessible," said Mehnaz Dhar, a student of Scrivener at EPFL.

The decision, supporters say, has helped accelerate adoption and interest in the technology across different countries.

Why experts see potential

Experts believe innovations such as LC3 could become increasingly important as governments try to balance infrastructure development with climate goals.

Vaibhav Rathi, Senior Technical Advisor at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), noted that cement is the second most-used material in the world after water, making decarbonisation of the sector crucial.

"So, what do we do if we have to build infrastructure but also curb the harmful environmental effects of cement? We manufacture this material in a way that it emits less carbon and utilises less resources than what it is using now," said Rathi.

According to him, technologies such as LC3 offer a practical pathway to reducing emissions without slowing development.

India seen as a major market

Scrivener believes India could become one of the most important markets for LC3 because of its rapid infrastructure growth and abundant reserves of limestone and clay.

"India is an ideal location to test the potential of this technology. I am really looking forward to how the industry adopts this there," she said.

Expressing confidence in the material's long-term performance, she added that extensive testing had been conducted before it was approved for commercial use.

"I cannot wait to see how the industry there grows," she said.

From a conversation between two researchers more than two decades ago to the runways of one of India's biggest new airports, LC3 has emerged as a key example of how scientific innovation could help make future infrastructure projects more sustainable.