Italcementi (www.italcementi.it)

ITCLab, the Innovation and Technology Central Laboratory currently under construction within Kilometro Rosso, is Italcementi Group’s new centre for research and innovation. Italcementi is one of the world’s leading producers of cement.
The project, which was unveiled in 2006, involves the construction of an 11,000m2 facility, with 7,500m2 of the total area given over exclusively to research laboratories. It will play host to those Italcementi employees and researchers who are currently based at other sites around Lombardy, and will serve as a hub for research into construction materials and for product and process innovation in the cement industry.
Through this new facility, Italcementi is confirming its dedication to research and innovation as essential elements for the economic growth and socio-cultural development of a group that leads the world in the cement industry. The company has decided to site ITCLab within Kilometro Rosso in order to continue its expansion in line with principles of sustainable development.
In fact, ITCLab will be a new yardstick for sustainable architecture in Europe. The design team is using a process that will allow for maximum environmental compatibility and financial return-on-investment. The objective is to achieve ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’ (LEED), which is the most stringent U.S. certification on energy efficiency and eco-friendliness.
At European level, and in collaboration with Milan Politecnico’s Department of Energy, the project is a candidate for partnership in the European Commission’s ‘GreenBuilding’ programme, which recognises energy efficiency and promotes the introduction of renewable energy sources.
ITCLab will be constructed from White TX Aria® cement, based on TX Active® – the photocatalytic principle patented by Italcementi, which has already been used by architect Richard Meier for the ‘Dives in Misericordia’ Church (one of the first buildings to feature this innovative solution).
TX Active® allows the cement to retain its superficial aesthetic properties and contributes to a substantial reduction in pollutants. The roof of the new Centre will feature photovoltaic panels and solar panels. Further reductions in energy consumption will be provided by the geo-thermal system, which will harness the heat accumulated in the soil and sub-soil.