Leading scientists, academicians, industry experts and policymakers will converge in Hyderabad on November 19 and 20 for a national conference on carbon neutrality in cement and concrete, focusing on technological innovations and practical strategies to advance India’s sustainable construction and Net Zero ambitions.
The National Conference and Exhibition on Carbon Neutrality in Cement and Concrete – Towards a Sustainable and Net Zero Future, organised by the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB), will be held at the Centenary Convention Centre, Engineering Staff College of India (ESCI), Gachibowli.
The two-day event will bring together experts from premier institutions, including IIT Hyderabad, NIT Raipur, IISc Bengaluru, CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre (CSIR-SERC) and CSIR-Central Building Research Institute (CSIR-CBRI), along with senior representatives of leading cement manufacturers and technology providers.
The conference will address five major technical themes: low-carbon cementitious systems, decarbonisation of the cement industry, process optimisation and plant engineering, durable and sustainable concrete, and advanced composites. Discussions will focus on reducing the carbon footprint of cement and concrete production while improving material performance, durability and resource efficiency.
Plenary and industry panel discussion
The plenary address by Dr. L. P. Singh, Director General, NCB, will highlight the importance of carbon neutrality, technological innovation and sustainable development in the cement and construction sectors.
A major highlight will be the panel discussion on “Carbon Neutrality in Built Environment”, bringing together experts representing cement manufacturers, research institutions and technology companies. The panel will include V. S. Narang, Director-Technical, My Home Industries Pvt. Ltd.; Manoj Rustagi, Executive Vice-President and Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer, JSW Cement; Prof. Pradeep Ramacharla, Director, CSIR-CBRI; A. K. Dembla, President and Managing Director, KHD Humboldt Wedag India; Rahul Goel, Joint President and Head–Technical Services, UltraTech Cement; and Kaustubh Phadke, General Manager, GCCA India. Dr. B. Pandu Ranga Rao, Joint Director and Unit In-charge, NCB-H & Bh, will moderate the discussion.
Keynote sessions to cover emerging technologies and research
The technical programme features 12 keynote presentations covering developments in structural engineering, concrete technology, cement manufacturing and industrial sustainability.
Prof. K. V. L. Subramaniam of IIT Hyderabad will speak on “Service Life Approach – IS 456 Draft”, examining durability-based considerations in concrete design. Prof. N. V. Ramana Rao, Director, NIT Raipur, will present “Innovations and Advancements in Precast and Lightweight Concrete Technologies”, while Prof. Suriya Prakash of IIT Hyderabad will discuss “Performance-Based Design of RCC Structures”.
Dr. S. B. Hegde, Professor and Director, Jain College, will address “Process Optimisation and Plant Engineering”, focusing on improving industrial processes and operational efficiency. Dr. Bhaskar S., Chief Scientist/Scientist G, CSIR-SERC, will present “Applications of 3D Printable Concrete”, highlighting the potential of advanced concrete technologies in construction.
The low-carbon cement theme will be addressed through two presentations. Dr. S. K. Chaturvedi, Joint Director and HOC-CRT, NCB, will speak on “Low-Carbon Cement Systems – I”, while Prof. Keshav Bharadwaj, Assistant Professor, IISc Bengaluru, will deliver “Low-Carbon Cement Systems – II”.
Dr. B. Pandu Ranga Rao, Joint Director and Unit In-charge, NCB-H & Bh, will present “Quality Assurance and Construction Provisions”. Amit Trivedi, Joint Director, HOC-CDR, CQC and HOS-HRS, NCB, will discuss “Concrete and Its Constituents – Specifications and Applications”.
Industrial decarbonisation will receive particular attention through Ujjwal Awasthi, President, UltraTech Cement, who will speak on “Alternative Fuels and Raw Materials Usage in Cement Industry”. Dr. Brijesh Singh, General Manager and HOC-CCE, NCB, will present “Mechanical Performance of High and Ultra-High Strength and Lightweight Concrete”.
Dr. Kapil Kukreja, General Manager and HOC-CME, NCB, will outline “NCB’s R&D Initiatives and Technology Development for High TSR”, highlighting research and technology development initiatives in the cement sector.
Together, the keynote sessions are expected to provide technical insights into material innovation, performance-based design, quality assurance, manufacturing efficiency, alternative fuels, resource utilisation and the development of low-carbon construction materials.
Industry participation and exhibition
An exhibition will provide a platform for companies and technology providers to showcase products, processes and innovations relevant to sustainable cement and concrete production.
JSW Cement is the Chief Patron of the conference. Platinum sponsors include Fuller Technologies, KHD Humboldt Wedag, TKIL Industries, UltraTech Cement and Sagar Cement. Maha Cement and NTPC are Gold sponsors, while NMDC Limited is the Kit Bag sponsor. Thermax, Techcons and Vishnu Chemicals Ltd. are Silver sponsors, and SRM University-AP is the Bronze sponsor. GCCA, DPIIT and SICMA are supporting organisations.
The conference aims to strengthen collaboration among industry, academia and research institutions and encourage the adoption of innovative technologies and sustainable practices across the cement and construction value chain.
