Because building materials are intended to provide durable and safe structures, they are subject to strict regulations designed to ensure that they do not pose a hazard during their use. But they must also not be harmful to humans or the environment at the end of their life cycle, regardless of whether they are reused, recycled, or disposed of in a landfill. The requirements that building materials/products must meet vary around the world, but all countries have at least some minimum requirements, whether through regulations, mandatory standards, certification procedures, and/or monitoring at construction sites. In Europe, regulations and standards are based on what is known as the “materials-based” approach, meaning that standards define not only the technical requirements, but also the materials from which products are made. Other parts of the world use the so-called “performance-based approach”, meaning that products must have a certain performance regardless of the materials from which they are made. The “materials-based” approach could present some obstacles or barriers for alkali activated products when it comes to providing the documentation needed to bring such products to the market, as there are no EN standards for alkali-activated products so far. The aim of this chapter is to provide information on the legislation for building materials in general but with a focus on alkali activated materials (AAM) around the world and to provide guidance on how to approach the subject.

Although alkali-activated materials (AAMs) show great promise as viable substitutes for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), they face numerous challenges in achieving widespread market acceptance. These challenges include the intricate chemistry of AAMs, technological and environmental complexities, inconsistency in the availability and quality of raw materials, and the absence of a well-established value chain for AAM production. Furthermore, legislative and regulatory frameworks are often lacking or unfavorable, and economic concerns related to scalability and competitiveness continue to pose barriers. Social acceptance remains limited, often due to unfamiliarity with the material and skepticism about its long-term performance. This chapter presents findings from various international research and development projects focused on advancing AAM technology. It highlights the pivotal role of pilot-scale trials in assessing the feasibility of AAM implementation, identifying technical and logistical challenges, and guiding further innovation. Additionally, the chapter showcases successful case studies and industrial applications of AAMs, positioning them as sustainable, high-performance alternatives to both traditional OPC and ceramic-based construction materials.

The feasibility of a waste glass powder residue (GP) from glass recycling as partial mineral precursor to produce alkali-activated materials is investigated. GP served as powder coal fly ash (PCFA) replacement within a reference system composed of 50% PCFA and 50% ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS). Compared with PCFA, GP was better involved in the alkali activation process by having a higher silica and Ca dissolution. Furthermore, increasing GP replacement up to 30% prolonged the induction period, facilitated the gel formation and yielded a 35% higher 28-day compressive strength. These observations are similar to the effect of using both sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate as alkali activator in alkali-activated slag/fly ash systems. A higher polymerization of the gel network was also observed. Microstructure analysis indicated that the main reaction product is a calcium silicate hydrate type gel substituted with Al and Na (C-(N)-A-S-H type gel). This work largely contributes to the understanding of the reactivity and potential of GP and promotes its practical utilization as a mineral precursor in the production of alkaline cements.