A culture of collaboration and innovation will accelerate the UK concrete and cement sector's pathway to ‘Beyond Net Zero’ emissions, says leading building products manufacturer, Ibstock Concrete.
Following the recent launch of the UK Concrete and Cement Industry Roadmap to Beyond Net Zero by UK Concrete, part of the Mineral Products Association (MPA), Ibstock Concrete has reiterated the need for greater focus on product innovation if the sector is to achieve its goals. The industry-wide roadmap seeks an achievable route to ‘beyond net zero' by 2050 through the application of seven decarbonisation technologies, five of which focus on production related emissions.
This aligns with Ibstock's own carbon reduction goal that sets a target of a 15 per cent reduction in CO2 per tonne of production within the next five years. Ibstock Concrete is focussing on low-carbon cements and low-carbon concrete mix designs. As part of this process, it is exploring new methods of manufacturing traditional products, such as roof tiles, by collaborating with other leading materials suppliers. For example, in partnership with Lafarge Cement, Ibstock has introduced SustainaCem into its concrete roof tiles. The result is a product which has equal strength and durability with a 15 per cent lower carbon cement.
Will Hicks, operations director at Ibstock Concrete, comments: "We're delighted to support the net carbon aims of UK Concrete. Our own Sustainability Roadmap 2025 reflects this direction of travel: it drives our sustainability efforts, and much like the concrete and building products industry, innovation and collaboration are the linchpins of achieving carbon reduction targets. We are working hard in partnership with several suppliers – including Lafarge Cement and Oscrete – to ensure we achieve our own sustainability goals, as well as contribute to those of the wider sector.
