This is UK Concrete

A new record has been set for the UK’s longest rail bridge, with HS2’s Colne Valley Viaduct now complete. 1,000 pre-cast deck segments have been installed to carry high-speed trains up to 10m above land and water across the Colne Valley. Supported by 56 concrete piers, each deck segment is unique, creating the gently curved 3.4km long viaduct that runs between HS2’s London tunnels in Hillingdon to the Chiltern tunnels. Read more about the project milestone: https://lnkd.in/eXybpJf2 #concrete #viaduct

New research from Mineral Products Association has confirmed that using reclaimed clay and bricks can cut carbon emissions in cement and concrete. The two-year study led by the MPA with funding from Innovate UK has found that reclaimed clays and finely ground brick powder can be used as a supplementary material in cement and concrete manufacturing to deliver lower emissions compared to CEM I cement. The project has been supported by Heidelberg Materials UK, Tarmac Imerys Forterra PLC UCL and University of Dundee. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ekurqQeE #concrete #innovation #sustainability #calcinedclays

In the design of the Oak Cancer centre in Sutton, BDP architects were tasked with creating a calming and reassuring space that accommodates hundreds of scientists and healthcare professionals under one roof. To achieve this, the designers used a warm palette of mostly natural materials, including exposed concrete columns with plenty of natural light throughout the building. The BREEAM Excellent certified building is underpinned by a reinforced concrete frame that is both highly efficient and hardworking. Overall, the design reduced the amount of reinforcement needed by an estimated 66 tonnes, saving 55 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Read more in the latest edition of Concrete Quarterly: https://lnkd.in/ezrvUmVU #concrete #innovation

Middlesborough-based Material Evolution is planning to roll out its ultra-low cement into production in Wrexham. With funding from Innovate UK, the £7.6m Mevocrete Project, has been working to develop a low-carbon geopolymer cement that can be used on construction sites. Developing this low-carbon cement has been enabled by the revisions to the BS 8500 concrete standard last October which allow producers to replace up to 65% of the CEM I content in concrete with two or more supplementary materials. Read more about the project here: https://lnkd.in/eDvnCiAT #lowcarbonconcrete #innovation

RECLAIM THE CLAY: Carbon emissions in cement and concrete can be cut by almost a third by using reclaimed clay and bricks according to our new research report published today. The two-year study led by the Mineral Products Association with funding from Innovate UK demonstrates that using clay and brick waste in cement production could reduce the material’s embodied carbon by up to 30 per cent and divert up to 1.4 million tonnes of material from waste streams. The project has been supported by Heidelberg Materials UK, Tarmac, Imerys Minerals Ltd, Forterra PLC, UCL (University College London) and University of Dundee. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/d5cW-7qr More about the project: https://lnkd.in/ekurqQeE BUILDING RESEARCH ESTABLISHMENT LIMITED Construction Leadership Council UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) Our Shared Understanding: a circular economy in the built environment Climate Change Committee This is UK Concrete Cabinet Office The Concrete Centre Infrastructure Client Group GCCA – Global Cement and Concrete Association #essentialmaterials #sustainablesolutions

“At the end of the day, as a society we can’t simply not use concrete, so we need to find ways to decarbonise it.” Gareth Wake MIMMM MICT, director for ready-mixed concrete at the Mineral Products Association, recently spoke to Construction News about the changes that are being made to decarbonise the concrete industry. Considerable research and development is being carried out by the industry to find supplementary materials that can replace part of the CEM I content in concrete mixes without compromising the safety or reliability of structures. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/ebKghC6k #savingcarbonnow #concrete #innovation #sustainability #netzero

Bell Phillips and David Miller Architects have used sculpted precast panels to create a truly unique design for the Conway Street residential development. The 49-home development located in Marylebone is part of the first phase of Westminster City Council Church Street Masterplan. Precast brick panels were used to create a curtain-like, rippling façade across the building, complimenting the columns and arched windows of the grade II*-listed church opposite. The 3,500m2 concrete façade is made up of 285 precast panels which were manufactured off-site. Installation took just four months to complete, with eight panels installed per day. Read more in the latest edition of Concrete Quarterly: https://lnkd.in/eBy_DTwa #concrete #architecture #innovation

The winners of The Concrete Centre Structural Concrete Competition 2024 have been announced. This year’s project brief was to design an art gallery, set around an atrium space with a basement for storage. The 1st place team from Queen's University Belfast impressed the judges with their two designs which included both precast and in situ concrete options. They paid particular attention to flood resilience and the impact that their chosen materials would have on the performance and sustainability of the building. Read more about the competition winners here: https://lnkd.in/eJU4T4-M #concrete #sustainability

The London School of Fashion by Allies and Morrison cuts a fine figure on the East Bank development, with barely a stitch of concrete out of place. Read more in #CQSummer https://ow.ly/RTm050T2Vsx

Elaine Toogood, director of sustainable design and architecture, looks at why embodied biodiversity is the next step for sustainability in a recent article for edie At the start of 2024, legislation was mandated which requires all UK developers to provide at least a 10% improvement on biodiversity in their projects. These changes have led built environment clients to consider how they can use more nature-based solutions in their infrastructure projects. Whilst embodied biodiversity targets are not yet defined, going beyond Biodiversity Net Gain requires deeper understanding of the impact that our materials have on nature throughout their lifecycle. The UK concrete sector recognises the importance of understanding the impacts on nature during the manufacture of our materials. Around 93% of UK concrete is produced in the UK and our quarries continue to build upon an established legacy of supporting nature. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eUcGs9vR #concrete #biodiversity #embodiedbiodiversity #sustainability #netzero