Minister for Gozo and Planning Clint Camilleri opened the workshop held in Gozo as part of the CSMS 2025 (Concrete Sustainability: Materials and Structures) conference.

This international conference is organised to advance knowledge, innovation and collaboration in the field of sustainable construction.

The conference is organised by the Construction Materials and Structural Monitoring Research Group at the Faculty of the Built Environment, University of Malta, in conjunction with the FIB (International Federation for Structural Concrete).

The event brought together leading researchers, engineers and industry professionals, focusing on the latest developments in both fundamental and applied research on cement-based materials, advanced construction technologies and sustainable structural design.

Minister Clint Camilleri stated that, “concrete and the use of materials that we previously used as waste, today these materials are being valorised as value-added materials when used together with the mixture to form concrete. Furthermore, through such materials, intensive research carried out by both the University of Malta and international professors, one can create concrete that has low carbon emissions and uses less energy. Concrete that ultimately also has stronger characteristics, characteristics of durability even in the Maltese environment.”

He continued by saying that it is “therefore important that research continues, particularly when it comes to construction materials, so that we can also utilise materials that we consider as waste that can be integrated into this technology.”

Professor Ruben Paul Borg, the organiser of this conference stated that advanced research at the University of Malta is showing how low-carbon concrete is a solution to reduce environmental impacts in a broad sense while using waste material. He spoke about the transfer that is being made from research to Industry for greater resilience and durability of structures.

During the same conference, Professor Kamal Khayat, a global pioneer in concrete science and a key figure in the development of self-consolidating concrete shared his experience and knowledge in this field. It was explained that his contribution has fundamentally changed construction practices around the world, by improving safety, efficiency and durability.

The conference was also addressed by Architect Edward Scerri from the Gozo Business Chamber who spoke about the need for sustainable construction.

With a strong focus on reducing the environmental impact of buildings, CSMS 2025, the fourth conference in the CSMS conference series in Malta, presented breakthroughs and innovative solutions in low-carbon concrete technologies, recycling and reuse strategies with the aim of creating durable and resilient structures.

CSMS serves as a platform for sharing cutting-edge research, exploring industrial applications and strengthening global partnerships, in the transition towards more sustainable and resource-efficient practices around the world.

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