The Full Story
CLWA: Concrete Reinvented for a Circular Future
At Rockpore, we believe the future of construction must be circular, low-carbon, and resource-efficient. That vision led us to develop CLWA: an advanced, performance-grade material engineered to reduce the environmental footprint of structural concrete while meeting the rigorous performance requirements of modern construction.
CLWA combines innovative material science with circular design principles, delivering a high-strength, low-absorption aggregate that offers a 20–50% weight reduction compared to conventional aggregates — without compromising durability or mechanical integrity.
Born Circular. Designed for Full-Loop Recycling
Traditional recycling methods for concrete typically involve crushing demolition waste into recycled concrete aggregates (RCA). However, RCAs often present limitations: higher porosity, lower mechanical strength, and reduced long-term durability when compared to natural or engineered aggregates — restricting their use in structural applications.
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CLWA represents a new generation of circular aggregates. Unlike conventional RCA, CLWA is engineered from recycled concrete and post-consumer glass, enhanced with performance-boosting additives, and processed thermally to produce a medium density aggregate with:
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High strength-to-density ratio
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Bulk density from 650-900 kg/m3
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Water absorption < 9%
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Excellent bonding with cementitious binders
Critically, CLWA is circular by design — not only produced from waste, but also fully recyclable into new CLWA without loss of performance. When incorporated into concrete, the entire hardened material can be crushed, reprocessed, and transformed back into new CLWA, maintaining its structural and physical properties.
This enables true full-loop recycling: a closed material loop where concrete waste becomes a high-value input for new structural concrete. CLWA aligns with the industry’s shift toward carbon reduction, waste valorization, and material efficiency.
Making Concrete Circular — Not Just Recyclable
Concrete is the most widely used man-made material on Earth — and one of the largest sources of COâ‚‚ emissions, contributing over 8% of global emissions. Its high cement content, energy-intensive production, and heavy mass have traditionally excluded it from circular economy models.
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CLWA changes that.
By reducing aggregate weight by 20–50%, CLWA allows the production of structural concrete with lower overall mass, while maintaining compressive strength. This enables:
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Lower volumes of concrete per structure
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Reduced use of cement, steel, and reinforcement
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Decreased transportation energy and emissions
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Substantial reductions in raw material consumption and carbon output
CLWA is also compatible with geopolymer and low-carbon cement systems, providing additional emissions savings and supporting the development of ultra-low-carbon concrete formulations.
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Because CLWA is engineered for recovery and reuse, it fits seamlessly into reverse logistics systems. Concrete structures built today can be reclaimed, processed, and reused in the production of new CLWA — turning demolition waste into a sustainable feedstock for the next generation of concrete.
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This isn’t just an efficiency upgrade — it’s a paradigm shift. CLWA enables the concrete industry to move from a linear take–make–waste model to a regenerative, circular material flow — where concrete becomes a key enabler of the circular economy, not a barrier to it.
