Decarbonising the cement & concrete value chain

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

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Why is decarbonisation important for the cement and concrete industry?

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.

• High emissions profile: Cement and concrete production contribute approximately 7 to 8 percent of global CO₂ emissions. This is primarily due to the calcination of limestone, which releases carbon dioxide as part of the chemical reaction, and the use of fossil fuels in high temperature kilns.
• Rising regulatory and investor pressure: Governments are introducing carbon pricing, mandatory disclosure, and sector specific emissions caps. At the same time, investors are demanding evidence of decarbonisation pathways, placing noncompliant firms at financial and reputational risk.
• Corporate net zero commitments: Many infrastructure developers, construction firms, and public agencies have committed to net zero targets. These organisations increasingly expect their supply chain, including cement producers and advisors, to align with low carbon practices.
• Demand for low carbon materials: The market for low carbon concrete alternatives is expanding rapidly. Clients are seeking solutions that reduce lifecycle emissions while maintaining performance, cost efficiency, and compliance with engineering standards.

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What impact will decarbonisation have on the cement and concrete industry?

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.

• Transformation of business models: Cement and concrete production will shift from volume-based, high-emission models to performance-based, low carbon systems. Mix design, procurement, and project execution will increasingly prioritise carbon intensity alongside cost and strength.
• Integration of digital lifecycle tools: Decarbonisation will accelerate the adoption of digital twins, BIM-integrated emissions tracking, and real-time material performance analytics. These tools will allow companies to simulate, optimise, and verify low carbon construction scenarios before ground is broken.
• Access to green finance and public contracts: As sustainable finance regulations tighten, access to capital and eligibility for major infrastructure tenders will depend on demonstrable reductions in embedded carbon. Low carbon cement and concrete will be required to meet procurement standards in climate-aligned regions.
• Emergence of new service markets: Engineering and consulting firms will expand into carbon modelling, material certification, ESG compliance, and lifecycle emissions benchmarking. These services will become core to infrastructure planning and investment decisions.
• Circular economy and end-of-life innovation: The next generation of decarbonisation strategies will extend beyond production to include material reuse, carbon capture during curing, and recycling of concrete waste. This will give rise to circular material loops that further reduce carbon footprints and regulatory exposure.

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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.

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What technologies are emerging for decarbonisation in the cement and concrete value chain?

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.

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Key technology categories include:

Clinker substitution and alternative binders can reduce emissions at source by targeting the most carbon-intensive input:

• Low-clinker cements (e.g. LC3 – limestone calcined clay cement) reduce emissions from calcination, the most carbon-intensive stage of cement production.
• Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) such as geopolymers seek to eliminate the need for traditional clinker entirely.
• Industrial by-products like fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), and silica fume serve as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), although availability is often a constraint.

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Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), capturing and repurposing emissions at source and/or within the final product:

• Post-combustion capture technologies, including amine-based, calcium looping and oxy-fuel processes, can retrofit existing kilns.
• Mineralisation techniques embed captured CO₂ into aggregates and/or concrete mixes, permanently locking it into the final material.
• Emerging solutions include electrochemical capture and direct separation reactors which may reduce energy intensity.

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Circular economy and materials reuse, closing the material loop by reducing waste and reusing existing concrete resources:

• Innovations include recycled aggregates, cement paste recovery, and deconstruction analytics to boost material recovery.
• End-of-life concrete is processed to reclaim coarse and fine aggregates, reducing demand for virgin material and the carbon footprint of supply logistics.

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Process electrification and alternative fuels, shifting kiln energy supply away from fossil fuels and towards lower-emission sources:

• Kilns are being redesigned to allow for electric heating, plasma torches, or bioenergy feedstocks, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
• Hydrogen-assisted calcination and microwave-assisted heating are under late-stage development.

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