Uso De Arcillas Calcinadas En la Fabricación De Cemento Como Estrategia De Mitigación De Costos e Impacto Ambiental: Sistematización De la Experiencia De Misión Académica Internacional al Centro De Innovación e Investigación De Holcim En Toluca (Estado de México) y Su Potencial De Aplicación En Colombia

Abstract

The cement industry is responsible for approximately 8 % of global CO₂ emissions, derived mainly from clinker production, whose process of limestone decarbonation and fuel combustion at temperatures close to 1450 °C accounts for most of the material's carbon footprint. This work systematizes the experience of the international academic mission carried out on May 25, 2026, to the Holcim Innovation and Research Center in Toluca (State of Mexico), where the use of calcined clays as a supplementary cementitious material for the manufacture of LC3-type low-carbon cements and of the ECOPlanet commercial line was learned about first-hand, with emission reductions of up to 50 % compared to ordinary Portland cement. The objective is to analyze the uses, applications, benefits, and technical, economic, and environmental advantages of calcined clays in cement production, and to assess their potential for application in Colombia. The methodology corresponds to the systematization of experiences: recording and analysis of the technical visit, documentary review of the state of the art (LC3 technology, mechanical and durability properties), and comparison with the Colombian regulatory and industrial context (NTC 121, NSR-10, and national industrial experiences). The expected results are a technical systematization document and an academic poster that contribute to the dissemination of low-carbon cement technologies in the country's structural engineering practice, supporting the national greenhouse gas reduction targets and the competitiveness of the construction sector.