Portland Limestone Cement: The Foundation for Greener Building

At the entrance of the river-walk in Tampa, Fla., luxury condominium The Heron at Water Street definitely has the “wow” effect. Striking, floor-to-ceiling windows, spacious balconies, roof gardens and other dramatic amenities render it architectural eye-candy. However, beyond the appreciation for the obvious visuals, it’s impressive to learn that this building was built with sustainability at its core. The high-rise is the first in a mixed-use development that promotes itself as walkable, connected and sustainable.

Developed by the owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning and an investment group led by Bill Gates, the project team’s commitment to cutting emissions began with the choice to use Portland-limestone cement concrete as a key structural material. Using PLC (Type IL cement) is one way that concrete producers and contractors can achieve a lower carbon footprint. In the coming years, more and more projects will benefit from similar materials. At the forefront of innovation and efficiency, concrete produced with the right cementitious materials lays the groundwork for a sustainable structure.