Development and testing of an advanced low-carbon concrete to significantly improve the sustainability of UK construction

Novacem is a novel cement based on magnesium compounds that does not require raw material decarbonation. It could eliminate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from cement production, and can potentially go beyond carbon neutral to absorb carbon dioxide and achieve carbon negative production. It has the potential to become a widespread replacement for Portland cement (PC). PC manufacture releases approximately 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of cement from energy use and limestone decarbonation. Over 10m tonnes of PC are used to produce concrete each year in the UK. Globally almost 3bn tonnes are used each year (5bn tonnes by 2030), creating 5 percent of man-made CO2). If Novacem is to be used in mainstream construction applications, it is essential that performance of Novacem concrete is first well demonstrated. This project will improve Novacem’s cement composition, use BRE’s material testing capabilities to assess cement performance in standard tests, and use Laing O’Rourke’s facilities to further demonstrate performance. It will build on a successful prior TSB collaborative R&D project which highlighted the potential in the Novacem technology.