The annual Future Cement Initiative (FCI) National Workshop, hosted on December 8–9 at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), brought together more than 200 regulators, industry leaders, researchers, and technical experts to advance a shared roadmap for low-carbon, high-performance cement in the Kingdom.  

KAUST shared early findings from the first year of the Future Cement Initiative, highlighting new opportunities to reduce emissions and strengthen the competitiveness of Saudi Arabia’s cement sector.  

Cement is one of the world’s most carbon-intensive materials. With global demand expected to rise from 4.37 billion tons in 2025 to more than 5.5 billion tons by 2030, the sector faces increasing pressure to reduce emissions while supporting infrastructure growth worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, national demand is projected to reach around 80 million tons per year by 2030, driven by accelerated development across housing, industry, and giga-projects. 

Read more at KAUST News.