According to Global Energy Review 2021, energy-related carbon dioxide emissions may rise by 4.8% in 2021 as the economy's demand for coal, oil, and gas rebounds. It causes more harmful greenhouse gases to be released into our atmosphere, contributing to rapid climate change and global warming. Our guest in this episode, Kas Farsad, uses his expertise in Material Science and cement technology to lessen the CO2 emissions in the construction industry. His innovative solutions provide an economical way to get twice as much cement out of limestone. 

Kas graduated from the EMBA program at Haas School of Business. He started as an R&D tech and now serves as the VP of Corporate Development at Fortera Corporation. By listening to this episode, find out how Kas Farsad developed an environmentally friendly and economically feasible society.

Episode quotes:

What made you pursue a career path in cement technology?

[00:03:41] I went on a couple of interviews, found a laboratory technician job, essentially running analytical equipment, which is something that material scientists tend to do. Stumbled upon a cement company that was trying to change the world, basically develop a new way to make cement that was eco-friendly. Not a lot of people have a lot of cement background. Material scientists are obviously well-equipped. So, I ended up joining. The company was called Calera. Back then I was employee number 5. And that first job actually dictated a lot of my beliefs. A lot of the industries that I eventually started tackling and a lot of the problems that I started appreciating needed solutions, needed innovation. 

On the cement industry's potential to reduce global CO2 emissions.

[00:16:45] The biggest thing we're trying to do right now is just build awareness around this cement problem, but also the cement opportunity. There's not that many industries in the world that if you do somehow reduce CO2 emissions, it's a big number. A lot of people do a lot of small things, recycling, and it's all important to do. And if we all do it, it'll add up. But this industry has the ability to successfully adopt a new chemistry that doesn't release as much CO2. We're talking 5% of the globe's CO2 emissions produced. And this industry is so good at adopting. When they adopt a new technology or a new chemistry, they can do it fast. We have all these goals to get to net zero emissions by 2030 or 2050. This is an industry that can do that.

Show Links:

• LinkedIn
• Fortera Official Website
• Google Scholar

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