The Concrete Centre’s Sustainability Series is a four week programme of online events and resources providing latest guidance, progress updates and discussion related to the design, specification and use of sustainable concrete. The 2024 Series took place from 23 September to 18 October.
Week 1: Measuring and reporting carbon
The week's resources will bring together latest guidance on the measurement and reporting of the embodied of concrete. Key guidance will be supplied on concrete environmental product declarations (EPDs), benchmarking schemes and updated tools for comparing the embodied carbon of different concrete frame solutions. More on Week 1 resources.
The launch event for this year's Sustainability Series entitled Concrete decarbonisation through collaboration took place on 23 September with a hybrid networking event at the Coin Street Community Centre, London.
Speakers from across the value chain provided an overview and update of current collaborative initiatives and projects aiming to accelerate decarbonisation in the manufacture, specification, design and construction of concrete and projects using concrete.
Catch up on-demand: The event was recorded and is available as an on-demand resource. The webinar is available here.
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Week 2: Lower carbon concrete technology
Week 2 focuses on the many evolving and innovative ways to reduce the impact of concrete. It provides guidance on the opportunities available through concrete standards as well as showcasing the latest research and developments to positively change the landscape of concrete development. More on Week 2 resources.
Webinar: The changing landscape of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs), Part 1: Greater and alternative uses of limestone
Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are materials that may be used as part of the binder in concrete. SCMs can be lower in embodied carbon than Portland cement and are consequently an important part of the route towards net zero concrete.
The availability, use and standards related to SCMs is evolving. This webinar, the first of a two-part event considering these changes, focuses on greater and alternative uses of limestone which have recently been included in the revised BS 8500 standard.
Catch up on-demand: The event was recorded and is available as an on-demand resource. The webinar is available here.
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Webinar: The changing landscape of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs), Part 2: Expanding the range: calcined clays, recycled fines and stock-piled fly ash
Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are materials that may be used as part of the binder in concrete. SCMs can be lower in embodied carbon than Portland cement and are consequently an important part of the route towards net zero concrete.
The availability, use and standards related to SCMs is evolving. This webinar, the second of a two-part event considering these changes, focuses on this expansion of the range of SCMs, including calcined clays, recycled fines and stock-piled fly ash.
Catch up on-demand: The event was recorded and is available as an on-demand resource. The webinar is available here.
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Week 3: Concrete's role in a circular economy
Enabling greater circularity across the built environment using concrete and encouraging the retention of concrete's value throughout all stages of its life cycle is one of the five core commitments of the UK concrete industry‘s refreshed sustainability strategy. This week highlights resources which demonstrate concrete's role in a circular economy under the themes of reuse, recycling and dematerialisation. More on Week 3 resources.
Webinar: Developing concrete to support a more circular economy
This event brought together experts instrumental in evolving greater understanding in this area of development. Through interactive questions, delegates at the live event helped to highlight opportunities for further improvement, as part of the development of a Circular Economy Action Plan for UK concrete.
Catch up on-demand: The event was recorded and is available as an on-demand resource. The webinar is available here.
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Week 4: Sustainability - beyond carbon
With a Sustainability Series inevitably dominated by updates on the reduction of carbon, week 4 brings together resources and information related to other important sustainability issues. This includes a focus on social outcomes, support for nature and biodiversity and resilience to climate change. More on Week 4 resources.
Webinar: Sustainability - beyond carbon
This webinar gives an overview of the industry initiatives to address important sustainability issues beyond a focus on carbon, and presented projects where concrete has been used successfully to bring social, health and wellbeing benefits in the built environment.
Catch up on-demand: The event was recorded and is available as an on-demand resource. The webinar is available here.