Reviving these historical techniques has its proponents, but if humankind has any hope of decarbonising the construction industry, the solution will be found in leading science labs, not Roman concrete. Evonik’s engineering and construction teams have had a head start when it comes to designing green architecture products that offer environmental, economic and social benefits.

For close to 200 years, a mixture known as Portland cement has been the industry’s gold standard used in everything from stark brutalist architecture of the 50s to futuristic Zaha Hadid buildings. It has many benefits, but also cracks easily and is extremely energy-intensive. Taking advantage of its ubiquity, Evonik’s building engineers were able to identify opportunities for improvements at scale. And they had to act fast, as it was becoming increasingly clear that current infrastructure  was built for a climate that no longer exists.

With Protectosil®, Evonik’s approach is twofold: protecting existing façades against damage caused by moisture, the way it’s been shielding the iconic Sydney Opera House, and improving the cement formula to make new buildings — such as Hangzhou Bay Bridge and the Rama VIII Bridge in Bangkok — sturdier. Whether it’s humidity, vehicle emissions or throngs of tourists that threaten damage, Protectosil® efficiently defends the structures from vapours and soiling.

The green revolution is well under way in residential and commercial real estate too. When house- or office-hunting, many buyers look for transparency offered by building energy ratings. Energy Star or LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification make it easy for consumers to identify and purchase energy-efficient products that offer savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance, features, and comfort.

Here, Evonik’s Admix portfolio offers novel polyurethane foam additives that drastically improves wall insulation. When coupled with Ancamine®, Evonik’s polyamine curing agent that makes floors durable, as well as slip and chemical-resistant, BER (Building Energy Rating) scores go through the roof.

Evonik offers savings of a different kind too. VESTENAMER®, a rubber additive designed to make roads more resilient to heavy traffic loads, helps reduce CO2 emissions by up to 38% per ton of asphalt. The product’s green credentials go further still: VESTENAMER® can be used to recycle waste rubber by turning scrap tires into a modern construction material for durable roads that can last up to 16 years thanks to significantly reduced cracking, ruts, and potholes in the road surface.

That being said, the secret of the Colosseum’s longevity lies in the timeless appeal of its classical lines as much as in Roman engineering savvy. Contemporary architects today can only hope that their designs have the same aesthetic appeal in 200 years, never mind 2,000. But with Evonik, at least they know their structures might stand the test of time till then.