World’s first carbon ratings system for cement and concrete launches

With everyone offering low carbon cement these days, if can be confusing to see whether the claims really stack up.

The Global Cement & Concrete Association (GCCA) hopes that its Low Carbon Ratings (LCR) for cement and concrete will add some clarity and transparency, and help builders make more informed and sustainable choices.

The ratings system is designed to help customers prioritise sustainability when selecting construction materials by using a clear and intuitive AA to G scale.

It is designed to be used with environmental product declarations (EPDs), which by definition are third party verified.

The rating system uses numerical definitions in units of embodied carbon dioxide equivalent per tonne for cement and per cubic metre of concrete product (ECO2e /m³), also referred to as global warming potential (GWP), as calculated according to EPD standards. These product definitions for “low carbon” and “near zero” carbon emissions were inspired from cement production definitions by the International Energy Agency and the GCCA 2050 Cement and Concrete Industry Roadmap for Net Zero Concrete. 

GCCA chief executive Thomas Guillot said: “Cement and concrete are the foundations of modern life – from the buildings we live and work in, to the roads we travel, and the infrastructure that supports clean water and green energy. As global demand for sustainable construction grows, the need for greater transparency around the carbon footprint of construction materials is more critical than ever. Our Low Carbon Ratings system supports more sustainable procurement practices and will empower the entire value chain to accelerate decarbonisation.”

Marlène Dance, decarbonisation & sustainable design expert at Bouygues Bâtiment International, said: “We believe a globally consistent carbon rating system – adopted by all countries and used by all concrete suppliers – would be a game changer. We see great value in a simple, user-friendly tool, tailored for construction teams. It will help empower our site crews to better understand and manage the carbon footprint of the concrete they use.”

Riccardo Savigliano, chief of the energy systems and decarbonisation unit at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), said: “This is a huge step forward towards harmonizing global definitions for low emission cement and concrete in the support of decarbonization.”

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