The next generation of bricklayers experience the newly launched Cemfree Masonry Mortar helping to educate students on sustainable alternative building materials, developed to help reduce the CO2e generated within the construction industry.
On Tuesday 15th November, nine 1st year Apprenticeship Bricklayer students at the Building Craft College London used the newly launched Cemfree Masonry Mortar, donated from Cemfree, as part of their practical training. The session was led by lecturer Neil Hayman, a former bricklayer for 42 years, and gave students the opportunity to learn about and experience sustainable alternative products within the industry.
During the session students were guided through the mixing process of the mortar to laying the mortar bed and two courses of brickwork. This gave them a chance to learn, handle and understand that this alternative cement free mortar behaves in the same way as standard mortars, whilst learning about the added environmental benefits of the Cemfree Masonry Mortar.
Neil Hayman, Lecturer said, “It’s important that we educate our students on sustainable alternative materials available in the markets. By exposing them to these types of materials now in their careers, it means they will take this with them as they progress and hopefully, we see these materials become more of the ‘norm’ for our sector”.
Cemfree Masonry Mortar is a pioneering, 100% cement-free sustainable alternative to standard masonry mortars, developed and manufactured to deliver savings in CO2e emissions of up to 70%. With industry estimates showing that construction professionals use in excess of some 2.5million tonnes of cement-based mortar every year, the company believes this new product will give builders, architects and other construction professionals, an opportunity to help the environment and reduce the risk of global warming.
Katie Wills, Major Accounts Manager at Cemfree visited the college on the day to support them in the use of Cemfree Masonry Mortar and empower them in the adoption of the latest innovative product. She said, “To see the next generation of bricklayers use what we see as the next generation of building materials is an exciting moment for us.
It’s really promising to see students engage with both the product itself as well as the reason why alternative materials such as Cemfree Masonry Mortar are needed in the industry. I hope by educating those entering the construction industry now, we start to see a really positive change in the future for building materials and our overall effect on the planet.
Six out of the nine students on the course were Lyons & Annoot first year ‘Mentor Me Apprentices’. Lyons & Annoot have worked closely with Cemfree over the last year and have recently become an ‘Approved Contractor’ of the Cemfree Masonry Mortar, this new partnership solidifies the work between the two organisations and supports their long-term goals to reduce their carbon footprint within the construction industry. Lyons & Annoot are passionate about making a difference and are one of the first five construction businesses in the UK to have achieved validation by ‘Science Based Targets Initiative’.
Dave Mills from Lyons & Annoot said “Our Apprentices on our MentorMe Apprenticeship Scheme with The Keystone Group are being given the highest level of training we believe can be possible to try and assist as much as possible in their development as apprentices and onwards career growth. Part of this is ensuring they have early access to new products. Cemfree provided this opportunity for our apprentices to test and use the new reduced carbon masonry mortar- and the overall feedback from this first-year group was very positive. In fact, they didn’t notice the difference in terms of use which is key. Cemfree and Lyons & Annoot have worked together over the past year, and we are ensuring that our clients have options to reduce the carbon on projects using Cemfree Masonry Mortar and other partner reduced carbon products.
Hear from some of the students, Katie Wills, Neil Hayman and Dave Mills ad see what the students got up to in our short video here.