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Our professional services client wanted to identify key decarbonisation technologies for concrete and obtain a bespoke tool to measure their impact. CamIn built a product prototype that enables the client’s entry into the multi-billion dollar concrete industry
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Cement and concrete contribute 8% of global CO₂ emissions, mainly from energy use and clinker production. The client saw an opportunity to support decarbonisation in this sector but lacked the technical expertise to act. They needed a tool to identify and model low carbon technologies across the cement value chain. The topic was complex and well outside their internal capabilities. CamIn analysed ten technology categories, assessed 26 companies, and mapped emissions across the concrete lifecycle. We then built a prototype tool that models decarbonisation strategies, enabling the client to offer credible, data-backed advice.
29 | CamIn segmented the concrete value chain into 29 granular steps to establish the areas of highest environmental concern. |
20 | CamIn identified 20 key environmental and material performance metrics against which decarbonisation strategies would need to be assessed. |
10 | CamIn analysed the 10 major approaches to decarbonisation, including material substitutions, circularity initiatives, and carbon capture and mineralisation processes. |
60 | By including 60+ highly adjustable parameters into the tool, CamIn ensured that environmental strategies could be assessed in the context of specific construction projects. |
CamIn built an industry-leading tool, creating over 60 adjustable parameters for bespoke modelling which generated quantitative results within +/-1% of existing tools and expanded functionality. The client is now deploying the tool as part of its enhanced ESG advisory offer.
CamIn derisked the client's expansion into the $700 billion concrete market, as well as its offer to construction and engineering firms.
What is the cement and concrete life cycle?
The cement and concrete life cycle comprises a sequence of value chain steps, each with distinct environmental implications. It begins with the extraction of raw materials (like limestone and clay), followed by calcination in kilns (a major source of CO₂ emissions), blending with additives to form cement, and its subsequent use in producing concrete. Concrete then undergoes distribution, curing, in-use performance, and eventually, demolition and recycling or disposal. Over these steps, key environmental metrics – including embodied carbon, air pollutants, and water use – can be measured, and ESG levers can be applied to reduce impact
Decarbonising the cement and concrete industry is essential for meeting global climate goals and securing the long-term viability of the sector. As one of the largest industrial contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, the industry faces growing scrutiny from regulators, investors, and clients. For professional services firms advising in infrastructure, being equipped to quantify and manage emissions is no longer optional. It is a key differentiator in a market that increasingly prioritises sustainability and climate alignment.
Over the next decade, decarbonisation will reshape the cement and concrete sector across its entire value chain. What began as a compliance requirement will become a competitive advantage and strategic growth driver. Companies that invest early in low carbon technologies, digital tools, and lifecycle intelligence will lead in both market access and profitability. Professional services, engineering firms, and material suppliers will all need to adapt their offerings to support clients’ low carbon transitions.
By 2035, decarbonisation will not just be a constraint on cement and concrete producers but a catalyst for innovation, competitiveness, and long-term industry resilience.
CamIn’s analysis identified major decarbonisation archetypes, ranging from clinker substitution with alternative binders (including calcined clays, LC3, and waste products like fly ash and steel slag) to carbon capture and mineralisation technologies integrated at the plant or site level. Circular approaches, such as reusing demolition waste and CO₂-cured aggregates, are gaining traction. The advanced modelling tool that CamIn built allows for scenario analysis at project level and can help to inform feasible implementation strategies for decarbonisation technologies.
Key technology categories include:
Clinker substitution and alternative binders can reduce emissions at source by targeting the most carbon-intensive input:
Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), capturing and repurposing emissions at source and/or within the final product:
Circular economy and materials reuse, closing the material loop by reducing waste and reusing existing concrete resources:
Process electrification and alternative fuels, shifting kiln energy supply away from fossil fuels and towards lower-emission sources: