Low carbon concrete

Heidelberg Materials EcoCrete® low carbon concrete

Sustainable construction with up to 85% less CO₂ emissions

Heidelberg Materials has developed its EcoCrete® range of low carbon concretes to make it easier to access low carbon concretes. EcoCrete® reduces the CO₂ emissions associated with standard CEM I concrete with up to 85 per cent, helping contractors and clients meet their carbon reduction targets.

They contain Regen GGBS (ground granulated blastfurnace slag), a by-product of iron-making, as a replacement for some of the cement content in the concrete. Using GGBS reduces the embodied CO₂ in a concrete mix by around 780kg for every tonne of CEM I Portland cement (PC) it replaces. Learn more about Heidelberg Materials Regen GGBS.

It also increases the long-term durability of structures, conserves natural resources for future generations as it does not require the quarrying of materials and prevents the slag being disposed of as landfill. 

There are three products in the range:

EcoCrete®: reduces CO₂ by 30-64 per cent compared with CEM I concrete
EcoCrete® Extra: reduces CO₂ by 65-79 per cent
EcoCrete® Elite: reduces CO₂ by up to 85 per cent

All products offer the high quality and reliability features associated with our ready-mixed concrete but with the benefit of significantly reducing CO₂ emissions. Wherever possible we use recycled water to produce EcoCrete®, adding to its sustainability credentials.

Watch a video about our low carbon concrete

Benefits:

• Reduces the carbon emissions associated with concrete from 30 to up to 85%
• Easy to use and place
• Suitable for use in all applications, including reinforced and unreinforced
• Unchanged construction process
• Complies with BS 8500 and BS EN 206-1
• Creates concrete with a lighter, more aesthetically pleasing colour
• 100% recyclable at end of life, contributing to the circular economy
• Available nationwide from our network of static and mobile ready-mixed concrete plants

The input values we use to calculate the CO₂ emissions of a concrete mix are externally verified and we can use this data to support our customers with a kg/CO₂/m³ indication for each mix. Where required, an indicative EPD* can be generated using lifecycle assessment tools aligned with the product category rules for Type III construction products to EN 15804. These detail the CO₂ emissions for a concrete mix and provide further detail of where the CO₂ emissions occur along the value chain.

* Indicative EPDs are not externally verified

Read more about why you should choose our sustainable concrete option.

Bespoke low carbon concrete mixes 

Our technical team is on hand to ensure you specify the right EcoCrete product to suit the requirements of your project. They can be contacted at telephone 0330 123 4535 or email concrete@uk.heidelbergmaterials.com.

EcoCrete® in practice

EcoCrete used for Buchanan Wharf project

One of our customers Northern Steel Decking used EcoCrete® as part of the Buchanan Wharf project in Glasgow in which the Scottish government wanted to explore opportunities for a low carbon solution. Watch a video about the project

Europe's largest Cemfree concrete pour

Heidelberg Materials supplied Cemfree concrete in a continuous 10-hour pour as part of an Access for All scheme at Chatham Railway Station, Kent. It is the first time the product has been used on a Network Rail infrastructure project and is the largest Cemfree pour to date (May 2021). Read more about the project

Residential development

The Densgate Square development in Manchester has been constructed using 110,000m³ of in-situ concrete to create the walls, floors, foundations and columns and Heidelberg Materials technical team were involved in the early-stage design discussions with the contractor and design engineers regarding the bespoke suite of concrete mixes required. Go to the case study 

Sea defences

Heidelberg Materials supplied a range of complex concrete mixes to BAM Nuttall to deliver vital coastal protection works at Marine Parade, Dawlish, Devon. Read more about this project.

BREEAM ‘excellent’ environment performance rating achieved for 20 Fenchurch Street, the Walkie Talkie

This building was designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘excellent’ environment performance rating. The use of EcoPlus concrete played a big part in helping achieve this through the correct selection of its constituent parts. Read the full case study where Heidelberg Materials bespoke Ecoplus concrete mix was used.

• The Enterprise Centre

• 25 Churchill Place

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Accreditations

Heidelberg Materials is a member of the Quality Scheme for Ready-mixed Concrete (QSRMC) and all our products carry this certification.