Sensicrete
low carbon
Less is more.
Sensicrete lowers the carbon footprint of concrete without affecting its performance or structural design.
less
- CO2
- Steel
- Cement
- Concrete
- Maintenance
more
- Sustainable
- Durable
- Versatile
- Resilient
- Value for money
Why we need low carbon concrete
A United Nations report in 2019 estimated that the construction industry is responsible for 38% of all global energy-related CO2 emissions.
Carbon dioxide is a key greenhouse gas contributing to global climate change - we need to reduce the amount of carbon we produce to a level that the planet can deal with.
We’re developing environmentally friendly alternatives to cement to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete structures.
This contributes to The Environment Agency’s goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030, as well as the National Grid’s Net Zero by 2050 goal.
Can we significantly reduce the carbon footprint of concrete, without going cementless?
Cement is an essential binder, without it concrete needs to be chemically “activated” which can result in increased operational carbon emissions.
There are other factors that need to be considered when considering alternatives to cement like Alkali-activated concrete (AAC).
- They may not be included in design standards
- They may be more expensive than standard mixes
- They may not be suitable for use in structural elements
- They may take longer to cure than traditional concrete
Replacing a proportion of cement in the mix with alternative binders, such as GGBS can reduce the embedded CO2 by 50%.
CEM I
A typical CEM I C50/60 concrete mix contains 505kg of embedded CO2/m3 consisting of:
- 0.8% Admixtures
- 0.9% Mixing Waste
- 2.3% Transport of Raw Materials
- 6.7% Manufacturing
- 86.6% Cement
CEM III
A typical low-carbon concrete mix contains 245kg of embedded CO2/m3 consisting of:
- 0.9% Admixtures
- 2.3% Mixing Waste
- 4.6% Transport of Raw Materials
- 13% Manufacturing
- 70.8% Cement
Sensicrete® Low carbon is only part of the story.
Lowering the amount of carbon in a concrete product or structure is a step in the right direction, but we can still do more to tackle the effects of climate change.
Sensicrete®
Low carbon
Low Carbon Solutions for sustainable construction. Reduce Carbon & Increase Durability – a less is more approach.
Sensicrete®
Self healing
Reduce the amount of steel reinforcement, increase the lifespan of structures, and reduce maintenance of concrete structures.
Sensicrete®
Marine
Eco-engineering combines biomimicry with self-healing concrete to create nature inclusive structures and coastal defences.
Sensicrete®
Ultra
Ultra-durable concrete structures by combining low-carbon concrete with self-healing additive + additional protection to structural steel in with a corrosion inhibitor.
Frequently asked questions
Reducing the quantity of cement can lower concrete’s carbon footprint – we use Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS) as part of a 50/50 mix. You could also use a self-healing additive to reduce the amount of steel reinforcement needed.
In 2019, parliament passed legislation committing the UK to become a net-zero emitter of greenhouse gas by 2035. CO2 emissions need to fall to stabilise climate change – the longer it takes to do so, the worse the effects of climate change will be. It forms a key part of the Paris Agreement in keeping the global temp. to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial era levels.
Any CO2 produced during the manufacturing of building materials (material extraction, transport to manufacturer, manufacturing), the transport of those materials to site, and the construction methods used.
Concrete can be considered sustainable due to its:
- Long service life
- Low life-cycle cost
- Safety and reliability
- Durability
- Ability to be recycled and reused