Construction firm Sisk has successfully completed testing of a new low-carbon technology to decarbonise concrete at its Wembley Park project site in London, it has said.

Initial test results demonstrate more than 70% of carbon savings compared to standard concrete, it claimed.

First of its kind

The low-carbon demonstrator project received £500,000 from Innovate UK funding as part of its Contracts for Innovation to pioneer the use of ACT, Ecocem’s low-carbon concrete technology in a structure, which is the first of its kind.

The demonstrator project was based at NE02/NE03, Wembley Park, where Sisk has been working on the redevelopment of Wembley Park for its long-term client, Quintain for the past 20 years. Sisk gathered with each of its consortium partners for an event hosted at Wembley Park to discuss its findings.

The two-storey project used a range of different construction methodologies and concrete mixes all based on ACT. From floors to precast concrete stairs, columns and walls, the initial feedback on the performance of each element is very promising. In each case the concrete made with ACT met the design specification for each application assessed and delivered a significant carbon saving of more than 70%.

Ecocem recently announced that it has begun construction on its first production facility dedicated to ACT at its Dunkirk facility in northern France, where it will invest more than £42m (€50m). The new facility will have an initial capacity to deliver 300,000 tonnes of ACT annually.`

Breakthrough cement technology

This innovation will revolutionise low-carbon cement commercial viability within the construction sector. ACT is a breakthrough cement technology that combines a range of technical innovations with the use of widely available low-carbon materials to decarbonise the production of cement by as much as 70%, while enhancing the strength and durability of the concrete it is used to manufacture. 

The scalable low-carbon demonstrator project featured a consortium of leading experts including, Sisk, Ecocem, Ramboll, Loughborough University, Creagh Concrete, Capital Concrete and BRE Group. Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation, creating a better future by inspiring, involving and investing in businesses developing life-changing innovations.

Ross Cullen, chief engineer, Sisk said: “At Sisk, we have been committed to sustainability for many years. Our low-carbon concrete journey began with the establishment of various strategies aimed at reducing our environmental impact.

"One of the key initiatives was the creation of an internal low-carbon concrete working group. This was formed to deepen our understanding of carbon in concrete and to explore opportunities and technologies that can help us reduce the embodied carbon in our projects.

“The construction industry has a profound responsibility to reduce our climate impact. As one of the largest contributors to global carbon emissions, it is imperative that we take significant steps towards sustainability.

"The development of low-carbon concrete is a tremendous leap forward in this endeavour. This innovation not only reduces our carbon footprint but also sets a new standard for environmentally responsible construction practices.” 

John Reddy, director of concrete technology deployment, Ecocem, said: “This low-carbon demonstration project at Wembley delivered with Sisk and supported by Innovate UK, is a significant milestone.

"The project used a range of different construction methodologies and concrete mixes all based on ACT and experience during the construction phase indicates that it behaves and performs as you would expect concrete to – with one significant difference – it can deliver a carbon saving of more than 70%.

Testing and trialling ACT

“Ecocem has been testing and trialling ACT, our low-carbon cement technology for the last 12 months in a range of onsite applications and early test results on this demonstrator are in line with our previous experience.

"For each application it delivers the required performance in terms of workability, durability, and early age strength. We need now to change concrete standards so that low-carbon solutions like ACT can be adopted for construction use and deliver significant carbon reduction at speed”

Dr Stafford Lloyd, Innovate UK, said: “Concrete production currently makes up almost 8% of global carbon emissions. The results we are seeing from this ACT project demonstrate the value of supporting these types of projects to accelerate carbon reduction in a challenging sector. 

"Innovate UK’s Advanced Market Commitment is also aiming to provide firm demand signals to shape a credible pathway for scaling the production and use of low-carbon concrete, providing expert insight and guidance to unlock fresh investment into innovative low-carbon concrete and cement products.”