Concrete

How Technology Helps Building Materials

Published

3 years ago

May 10, 2023

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Vishal Kanodia, Managing Director, Kanodia Cement, explains the role technology plays in making the building material segment more sustainable.

In today’s world, sustainability has become a key concern for businesses across all sectors. The building material segment is no exception. With the rapid pace of urbanisation and the increasing demand for housing, commercial complex and infrastructure segments, it is high time for the construction industry to look for alternative, sustainable building materials that can meet the growing demand for construction without degrading the environment.
The good news is that technology has the potential to play a significant role in making the building material segment more sustainable. Let’s explore how different technological elements can help us achieve this goal.

Traditional Technology Elements
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Transportation Management Systems (TMS) and Enterprise Reporting have been around for a while and are widely used in the building material industry. These technologies help in streamlining operations, improving customer engagement, better feedback from the last mile customers and providing real-time visibility into business processes, which ultimately augment customer satisfaction.
Industry 3.0, which refers to the third wave of the industrial revolution that started in the 1960s, brought about the automation of production processes. It enabled the industry to produce goods at scale, reducing production costs and increasing efficiency. While Industry 3.0 technologies are still prevalent, it is time for the building material segment to embrace newer technologies that can help them become more cost effective and sustainable.

Green Building and Sustainability
The use of alternative sustainable building materials is one way to make the industry more sustainable. Technologies such as modular building design and precast construction can help in the faster construction of buildings while reducing the wastage of materials. The use of renewable energy, such as solar panels, can reduce the dependence on non-renewable sources of energy.
Carbon credits, wastewater treatment and reuse of water and material reuse are some other sustainability initiatives that can be taken up by the building material industry.

Digital Disruption
Digital commerce, big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are some of the newer technologies that can disrupt the building material industry. They can help in the optimisation of production processes, reduce energy and water consumption and enable the industry to produce goods at scale with minimal human intervention.
Industry 4.0, which is the fourth wave of the industrial revolution, refers to the integration of technologies such as AI, machine learning and the Internet of Things (IoT) to create smart factories. These factories can operate with minimal human intervention and can optimise production processes based on real-time data.

Smart Supply Chain
A smart supply chain can enable the building material industry to optimise logistics and reduce the wastage of materials. Technologies such as autonomous mobile robots (AMR), indoor drones, and visual AI can help in the automation of material handling and warehouse operations. IoT-based asset tracking can provide real-time visibility into the location of materials, enabling better inventory management.
Smart last-mile logistics can enable the industry to enhance the transportation of goods to their final destination. Technologies such as vehicle telemetry, geo-fencing, and drones can help in the optimisation of last-mile delivery.

What Lies Ahead
The building material industry is at a crossroads. The industry needs to embrace newer, sustainable technologies that can enable it to produce goods at scale without degrading the environment.
With the help of technologies such as AI,machine learning, and the IoT, the industry can optimise production processes, reduce energy and water consumption and automated material handling and warehouse operations. The role of technology in the sustainability of building materials is significant and has played a crucial role in reducing the environmental impact of the building materials segment.
However, it is not just about using technology to scale up the supply chain and manufacturing processes. The use of technology in the sustainability of building materials also involves the use of green building materials and renewable energy sources.
Alternative sustainable building materials such as bamboo, straw bale and recycled plastic are becoming more popular due to their low environmental impact and their ability to reduce energy consumption. Moreover, the use of renewable energy sources such as solar power, wind power, and geothermal energy has become more common, as it helps reduce the reliance on non-renewable energy sources. The use of green building materials, renewable energy sources, carbon credits and digital disruption has helped companies reduce waste, optimise resource usage and lower their carbon footprint, leading to a more sustainable future. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative solutions that will help the building materials segment become even more sustainable.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishal Kanodia is the Managing Director of Kanodia Cement. He has a rich experience in the cement manufacturing industry and a leadership flair.

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India’s Cement Sector Cuts Energy Use, but Worker Safety Worsens

iFOREST finds efficiency gains alongside water and safety concerns

Published

11 hours ago

November 2, 2026

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India’s cement sector has improved its energy and carbon efficiency, but rising groundwater use in water-stressed regions and deteriorating worker safety remain significant concerns, according to a report by the International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iFOREST). The findings also highlighted weak policy implementation and gaps in sustainability reporting.

India, the world’s second-largest cement producer, uses about 2.54 gigajoules of energy per tonne (GJ/t), below the global average of 2.88 GJ/t. However, renewable sources accounted for only 5.1 per cent of the sector’s energy mix, indicating continued dependence on conventional sources.

The report assessed 18 cement companies against 107 Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting indicators for FY24 and FY25. The companies covered 87 per cent of India’s cement production. Carbon emissions intensity declined from 0.58 to 0.57 tonnes of carbon dioxide per tonne, but total emissions increased 4 per cent to 224.3 mn t, equivalent to about 6 to 7 per cent of India’s overall emissions.

Overall water withdrawal declined 9.5 per cent during the study period, while withdrawals in water-stressed areas, mainly in Rajasthan, increased by more than 20 per cent. Groundwater’s share of withdrawals in these areas rose from 27 per cent to 38 per cent, raising concerns about the sector’s impact on vulnerable water resources.

The sector employs about 228,000 people, including 63 per cent contractual workers, 3.1 per cent women and 0.07 per cent persons with disabilities. Women in key managerial roles earned 26.8 per cent less than men, while median pay for women workers fell 11.1 per cent in FY25 as men’s pay increased. Worker injuries rose 36.5 per cent to 359, and fatalities increased from 17 to 22, with workers accounting for more than 90 per cent of deaths.

iFOREST recommended cement-specific reporting guidance, standardised metrics, mandatory production disclosure and third-party verification. It also called for environmental, social and governance policies to be integrated into business strategies and implemented more effectively on the ground.

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Ambuja Cements Expects Volume Growth to Outpace Industry in H2

Ambuja Cements sees stronger trade and institutional demand in H2 FY27.

Published

11 hours ago

November 2, 2026

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Ambuja Cements expects its sales volumes to grow faster than the cement industry during the second half of fiscal year 2027, as it seeks a recovery in institutional demand after a weak first half. The Gautam Adani-owned company is aiming to rebuild volumes while protecting profitability.

The company reported a 90 per cent year-on-year decline in consolidated net profit attributable to owners of the parent to Rs. 1.93 bn for the quarter ended 30 September, from Rs. 17.74 bn a year earlier. The previous year’s profit included a reversal of income-tax provisions worth Rs. 16.97 bn. Revenue from operations rose marginally to Rs. 91.66 bn from Rs. 91.3 bn.

Trade volumes increased 8.6 per cent year-on-year in the September quarter, but weaker institutional sales left overall volumes broadly unchanged. Ambuja Cements expects both trade and institutional sales to turn positive in the third and fourth quarters. Trade sales are made through dealers and distributors, while institutional or business-to-business sales involve bulk supplies to infrastructure developers, government projects and real estate companies.

The company had earlier reduced institutional sales that did not generate adequate returns. It now plans to rebuild the business selectively, while continuing to prioritise trade sales and higher-value products. Trade accounted for 74 per cent of sales in the quarter, up six percentage points from a year earlier, while premium products increased to 37 per cent of trade sales from 35 per cent. Blended cement’s share rose to 82 per cent from 77 per cent.

Ambuja Cements commissioned 4.6 mn t of capacity during the quarter. Another 3.2 mn t at Bathinda in Punjab and Jodhpur has stabilised, with the facilities expected to ramp up in the second half. A further 2.4 mn t facility at Varkala in Bihar is scheduled for commissioning during the period. Higher fuel and logistics costs remain a challenge, while the company has realised a cement price increase of about Rs. 10 per bag in October and is targeting operating costs of Rs. 4,250 per t for the full year.

Concrete

JK Lakshmi Cement Begins Rs 110 Billion Assam Plant Project

The 2.5 MTPA integrated cement plant is expected to be completed by FY2029.

Published

2 days ago

October 31, 2026

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JK Lakshmi Cement has recently laid the foundation stone for Project Kamakshi, its first integrated cement manufacturing facility in Assam, marking its entry into Northeast India. The groundbreaking ceremony was held at Umrangso village in Dima Hasao district in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The project involves an investment of Rs 110 billion, including the mining lease, and will have an annual cement production capacity of 2.5 million tonnes, supported by a 1 million tonne clinkerisation unit. Scheduled for completion by FY2029, the facility is expected to generate employment for over 2,000 people while catering primarily to the growing Northeast market.

The integrated plant will feature dedicated railway sidings to facilitate efficient transportation of raw materials and finished cement, strengthening supply chain reliability and regional distribution.

Vinita Singhania, Chairperson and Managing Director, JK Lakshmi Cement, said, “”Project Kamakshi is the start of a long-term relationship with Assam and the wider North East. This is a region that is building fast, and it deserves quality cement made close to home. With this plant, we want to bring scale, jobs, and dependable supply to the region. At JK Lakshmi Cement, we believe that building a stronger India goes beyond infrastructure. It is also about growing together with the communities we serve.””

The investment aligns with the company’s strategy to expand into high-growth markets beyond its established presence in Northern, Western and Eastern India. The project is also expected to support regional economic development and infrastructure growth.

JK Lakshmi Cement aims to pursue its expansion plans while working towards its long-term target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2047.