Heidelberg Materials UK has extended the range of low-carbon concretes it offers to the construction market in London and the South East from its Greenwich concrete plant.
The company is carrying out trials using CarbonCure technology in ready-mixed concrete for the first time in England, which can reduce the CO₂ associated with concrete by around 7-11kg/m3.
The process involves injecting pure, manufactured CO2 into fresh concrete, where it undergoes a chemical reaction that permanently mineralises it. This makes hydration more efficient, delivering stronger concrete and permanently locking in CO2. It also allows producers to use an average of 5% less cement in the concrete mix.
“The CarbonCure trial is the first of its kind to trial the technology in ready-mix concrete in England and is another example of our commitment to innovation and decarbonising our business, to deliver lower carbon construction materials to our customers,” said Daniel Clayton, Concrete Technical Director at Heidelberg Materials UK.
“We’re continuing to invest in a range of innovative technologies to enable this, including partnering with CarbonCure in this trial where the mineralised CO₂ within the concrete stays permanently locked in, even if the concrete is demolished at some point in the future.”
The CarbonCure technology is easily integrated into the concrete production process and has no impact on the finished material’s performance.
The trial at Greenwich reinforces the Thameside plant’s credentials as a low-carbon construction materials supply hub, with the concrete plant also providing customers with calcined clay, evoBuild low-carbon GGBS, crushed concrete, accelerators, and evoZero, the world’s first carbon-captured near-zero cement.
The CarbonCure process was first developed more than a decade ago in Canada and is gaining traction globally, including in North America. High-profile projects built with concrete using CarbonCure’s technologies include Amazon HQ2 in Virginia and General Motors Manufacturing Plant in Tennessee.
To find out more, contact: concrete.technical@heidelbergmaterials.com
