State building projects in Ireland must use low-carbon concrete under new rules

Future state-funded building such as roads, schools and hospitals must use low-carbon concrete under new regulations which came into force yesterday. Concrete will be a key building material as Ireland spends billions of euros modernising its infrastructure, but it is already responsible for five per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, mostly because of the new type of cement used in its manufacture. New rules issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment demand that all government or state agency-funded building projects designed from the start of this month must use low-carbon concrete. The rules prohibit the use of CEM I, the cement with the highest emissions, and are legally binding.

Susan McGarry, director of public affairs and sustainability with Ecocem, said the new rules are a “monumental step forward” for government departments and other bodies, predicting that would aid construction in cutting down on emissions. Ms McGarry continued, explaining that these regulations would apply to organisations including the Land Development Agency, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Health Service Executive.

According to a department spokesperson, the rules, known as the public sector mandate, do not cover state companies such as the ESB or Bord no Mona. However she added that many of these organisations are already cutting or planning to cut carbon in their construction projects. She said that Ireland uses around 3Mta of cement out of the 5Mt it manufactures. Production is likely to grow 40 per cent up to 2030, much of it driven by demand from government-procured infrastructure. The department's mandate demands that concrete used in public projects replaces at least 30 per cent of the clinker with a low-carbon alternative. Ms McGarry said, “A lot of private sector projects are already way beyond 30 per cent. Some of them are up at 50 per cent and 70 per cent clinker reduction.” Ms McGarry believes the cement industry will be able to meet growing demand for low-carbon alternatives, particularly as the private sector is already switching to these products.