Turning point in concrete construction – 67. BetonTage congress 2023

The construction industry accounts for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions. The Green Deal of the European Union, which envisages Europe to be carbon-neutral by 2050, therefore places particular responsibility on this sector. Circular economy, resource efficiency, carbon neutrality in the construction and operation of structures, and digital planning and manufacturing are some of the fields of action identified to usher in the paradigm shift. The concrete and cement industries play an important role in this process, as concrete is the most widely used construction material worldwide. “Turning point in concrete construction” is therefore the motto of the 67. BetonTage congress, which will be held at Congress Centrum Ulm from 20 to 22 June, 2023, and is expected to attract more than 2,000 participants.

The leading convention of the concrete and precast industry highlights industry solutions making a contribution to reducing its environmental footprint. Live streaming and simultaneous interpretation into English at the venue will be offered for all of the plenary lectures given on the first two days of the congress. Another focal point will be the exhibition of the supplier, equipment and software industries.

Keynotes provide inspiration and take the broader view

The opening day will start with economic policy topics: Prof. Dr. Bernd Raffelhüschen, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, will bridge the gap between demographics, the labor market and the real estate sector. The population in Germany is aging, presenting social security systems and real estate markets with unprecedented challenges. Thefinancial expert will highlight correlations and the conclusions that can be drawn from them.

Rising energy prices are also a cause for concern. How can supply security be maintained while still reducing carbon emissions? Will renewable energies alone be sufficient? Will fossil fuels cease to play a role in the future? Dr. Ludwig Möhring, Federal Association for Natural Gas, Petroleum and Geothermal Energy (Bundesverband Erdgas, Erdöl und Geoenergie e. V.), Hannover, will provide facts and derive recommendations for action.

Innovation potential of the industry

Saving resources and reducing emissions are two key requirements for the concrete and cement industries to achieve more sustainable, climate-conscious and resource-efficient concrete construction. It will also be the main focus of the agenda of the 67. BetonTage congress. Groundbreaking contributions from science and building practice will highlight the potentials of concrete as a construction material and of precast concrete construction. They will include, for example, the use of alternative secondary materials as substitutes for cement, and the use of recycled materials and innovative concretes and concrete products.

Best practice from Norway

Decarbonization will also be the focus of the lectures given by this year’s guest country on 21 June, 2023. Norway is playing a leading role in this field. The country has already gained experience, for example, with carbon capture and storage (CCS). The largest underground carbon storage facility is currently under construction with the support of the government. The objective is to demonstrate the feasibility of carbon storage in the seabed on a large industrial scale and to establish an international transport network that allows captured carbon from all parts of Europe to be transported to the west coast of Norway.

In addition, Norcem/Heidelberg Materials is building the world’s first full-scale carbon capture and storage facility at a cement plant in Brevik, where 400,000 tons of carbon are to be captured annually and transported for permanent storage. The project is thus an important building block for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in cement production. In addition to climate change, the shortage of skilled labor is yet another challenge of our time. In one presentation, the Norwegian precast industry will highlight the strategies it is pursuing to attract industrial employees. In addition, a study will be presented highlighting the sustainability benefits of precast concrete construction compared to lightweight timber construction.

Joining forces with market partners

The Future Day of the Construction Industry will take place on 22 June, 2023. For the fourth time, it will be hosted in collaboration with the Baden-Württemberg Construction Industry Association. The target audience of this year’s program will include construction companies and the architectural profession, which will be addressed by the Information Center Concrete (IZB). Prof. Dr. Lucio Blandini, director of the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design at the University of Stuttgart, will open the day with his mission of “Building lightweight concrete structures”. The focus will be on sustainability also in the strategic positioning of industrial and infrastructure construction presented by Leonhard Weiss. The new industry code of practice on architectural concrete published by the precast concrete associations will also be presented, as will project examples on sustainable prefabrication, the reuse of precast elements and the AI-based use of ultra-low-carbon concrete formulations.

Business and law

After a one-year break and due to repeated demand, the organizers will offer a separate business and law panel again at the 67. BetonTage congress. It will highlight updates on employment law as well as current issues related to construction and supply contracts, including current market price trends. The participants will also be given an overview of sustainability certifications for industry players and climate-neutral precast elements, and the new certification system of the Quality Assurance Association for Precast Concrete and Reinforced Concrete Elements (Bund Güteschutz Beton- und Stahlbetonfertigteile) will be presented for the first time.

BetonTage congress: A communications platform

The supporting exhibition of the supplier, equipment and software industries is an integral part of the BetonTage congress. It has been expanded yet again and will offer extensive information on all innovations and developments. The main sponsor of the BetonTage congress will once again be Dyckerhoff GmbH. Numerous exhibitors will present their new developments at the Innovation Forum, which will be on the agenda on all three days of the congress. The start-up area will be expanded and located in a more prominent position right at the entrance.

Networking will be a top priority at the BetonTage congress. “This year, we have planned fewer parallel events and extended breaks to provide more room for active exchange, which is, after all, the lifeblood of such an industry get-together,” explains Dr. Ulrich Lotz, managing director of FBF Betondienst GmbH. “We will have more catering spots; Tuesday night will again feature the large Maritim buffet, and there will also be plenty of seating and bar tables. There will also be sufficient space for dancing to the rhythms of the Soul Control band. And during the day, the Café BFT hosted by our media partner, BFT International Betonwerk + Fertigteil-Technik, will offer a relaxed meeting point.”

The detailed program will be available from February 2023 on www.betontage.com.