New Delhi, Dec 26: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) India–NCB Carbon Uptake Report was released on Thursday during the 63rd Foundation Day celebrations of the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB). The event also marked the inauguration of a Gypsum Board Testing Laboratory and a Micro-Characterisation Laboratory, strengthening India’s research and quality assurance infrastructure in the construction sector.
The facilities were inaugurated by Economic Advisor, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ms Urmila, IES, and Special Director General, Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Shri Mohd. Kamal Ahmad, in the presence of NCB Director General Dr L. P. Singh.
The newly established Gypsum Board Testing Laboratory aims to support quality assurance and standardisation requirements of the gypsum board industry. Its launch follows the notification of the Gypsum-Based Building Materials (Quality Control) Order, 2024, by DPIIT. The Micro-Characterisation Laboratory, equipped with advanced analytical tools, will facilitate in-depth analysis of cementitious and construction materials.
Addressing the gathering, Ms Urmila appreciated NCB’s sustained contribution to research, technology development, quality assurance and capacity building in the cement and construction sectors. Shri Mohd. Kamal Ahmad commended NCB’s role in promoting sustainable construction practices through its research and development initiatives.
The GCCA India–NCB report on “Carbon Uptake by Concrete” highlights the assessment of carbon dioxide absorption through carbonation in concrete under Indian conditions. The study has been jointly prepared by NCB and the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), India, using the Tier-I methodology developed by the IVL Swedish Environment Research Institute.
The report notes that the cement industry accounts for nearly seven per cent of global anthropogenic carbon emissions and is considered a hard-to-abate sector due to process-related emissions from limestone calcination. It outlines future actions to improve data robustness, refine estimation methodologies, and support the integration of carbon uptake accounting into national sustainability and climate reporting frameworks.
The report will be submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for consideration of including carbon uptake by concrete as a carbon sink in India’s National Communications (NATCOM) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
About NCB:
The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) is an apex research and development organisation under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It is engaged in research, technology development, education, and industrial services for the cement, construction, and allied sectors.
