National property consultancy Carter Jonas has secured planning consent on behalf of UK’s national synchrotron light source, Diamond Light Source (Diamond), to extend its presence at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire. Diamond works like a giant microscope, harnessing the power of electrons to produce bright light that is used to
Britain’s leader in Ground Source Heat Pumps, Kensa Heat Pumps, is set to unveil the next generation of home heating and cooling. At an online launch on 29th February, Kensa will reveal its solution to help bring heat pumps to the masses, decarbonise current and future homes and create green
Hochiki Europe, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of fire detection and emergency lighting solutions, is thrilled to announce its participation in SICUR 2024, Spain’s premier international security event. The company is set to exhibit a range of products including its groundbreaking Ekho Hybrid Wireless fire detection range,
Industry-leading global provider of integrated process and mixing solutions, ProSep, has received official acknowledgment from the US Patent Office for improvements made to its recognized Annual Injection Mixer (AIM), resulting in a new patent being issued. Part of ProSep’s portfolio of differentiated technologies for higher operational performance, AIM is the
The new $30 million facility in Warrington, UK, is expected to open in 2025 creating 50 new jobs Warringtonfire, a global leader in Fire Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC), has announced plans to open a new facility in Warrington, UK. Expected to open in 2025, the new facility will be
MaterialsZone, the leading Materials Informatics platform for manufacturers’ R&D teams, and Kafrit Group, a global masterbatches and compounds producer, announced today their long-term commercial agreement enabling Kafrit Group to better utilize their data to develop improved products and provide an unparalleled customer experience to its clients. With a crowded, competitive
Panics come and panics go in the pragmatic world of engineering. It is part of the job to identify potentially intractable problems – and then bend the collective mind to creating a practical solution to them. That is why the current disquiet over RAAC in a number of public buildings
Knauf Insulation has launched FactoryClad Roll 35, a non-combustible glass mineral wool solution for built-up metal walls and roofs with the lowest embodied carbon of any equivalent 35 lambda mineral wool product on the UK market.[1] FactoryClad Roll 35 was specifically developed to insulate the 12,000m2 roof of the new Co-op
The ISO 9001 certification covers all of Farasis Energy Europe’s business processes. These include business development, purchasing, finance, product development, project management, operations, quality assurance, logistics, human resources, IT, calibration and maintenance. Strategic planning and after-sales services were also audited. The audit process lasted several days. As a result, the
One of the most significant changes to the traditional ‘recipe’ for making concrete since the 1980s, is set to be introduced in the UK, helping architects and engineers decarbonise the construction of buildings and infrastructure. Changes to standards for concrete have been published by BSI, the business improvement and standards
National property consultancy Carter Jonas has secured planning consent on behalf of UK’s national synchrotron light source, Diamond Light Source (Diamond), to extend its presence at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire. Diamond works like a giant microscope, harnessing the power of electrons to produce bright light that is used to study anything from fossils to jet engines to viruses and vaccines. The company required a new facility in preparation for its upgrade called Diamond-II, which is a project that will deliver a new machine and new beamlines with a comprehensive series of upgrades to optics, detectors, sample environments, sample delivery capabilities and computing. This new building will create space for assembly process and storage facilities which will enable the 48 section machine at the heart of the facility to be assembled. It will also provide office and laboratory space for around 100 staff. The new space will be located on the southern side of its iconic circular building. The 0.97ha site will accommodate assembly rooms, accessed off a central service spine, with all plant accessed from the perimeter road. It will also include offices and a variety of spaces for different staff preferences, working styles and team events. A sunny, south facing staff rest area will provide a balcony and a respite from work, as well as an informal touchdown and collaboration space Nicky Brock, Partner at Carter Jonas in Oxford commented, “We are extremely pleased to have achieved this planning consent on behalf of Diamond Light Source. This is an extremely important development, which will enable the research carried out at the Synchrotron to remain at the forefront of technology and stay competitive with comparable facilities around the world.” Dr Richard Walker, Interim Project Director and Technical Director at Diamond Light Source commented, “Diamond Light Source has established itself as a world-class synchrotron facility enabling research by leading academic and industrial groups in physical and life sciences. Diamond has pioneered a model of highly efficient and uncompromised infrastructure offered as a user-focussed service driven by technical and engineering innovation. To continue delivering the world-changing science that Diamond leads and enables, Diamond-II is a project that will deliver a new machine, new flagship beamlines, critical upgrades to several beamlines, and an extensive series of enhancements to optics, detectors, sample environments, and computing to support the capacity of the new machine. This will enable new applications at Diamond, including time-resolved experiments for several disciplines. The user experience will be further enhanced through access to integrated and correlative methods as well as broad application of automation in both instrumentation and analysis. Diamond-II will be transformative in both spatial resolution and throughput and will offer users streamlined access to enhanced instruments for life and physical sciences.” In achieving planning success, Carter Jonas worked alongside architects and engineers Ridge and Partners LLP. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Britain’s leader in Ground Source Heat Pumps, Kensa Heat Pumps, is set to unveil the next generation of home heating and cooling. At an online launch on 29th February, Kensa will reveal its solution to help bring heat pumps to the masses, decarbonise current and future homes and create green jobs. The launch will be presented by Kensa CEO, Tamsin Lishman, who’ll be joined by special guest Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee. Tamsin Lishman, CEO of Kensa Heat Pumps, said: “Mass adoption of heat pumps, including Ground Source Heat Pumps, will grow the economy, create green jobs and bring people out of fuel poverty. “We are about to embark upon the biggest transformation in home heating since the conversion to natural gas fifty years ago. We will show how the next generation of Ground Source Heat Pumps can provide millions with long-lasting clean, energy-efficient home heating and cooling.” For 25 years Kensa has proven that ground source heat pumps can work in all property types. From retrofit projects in high-rise flats to new build housing installations, ground source heat pumps are already reducing consumer energy bills, taking people out of fuel poverty and cutting CO2 emissions. Studies have shown installing more heat pumps will: Research also shows mass heat pump adoption improves people’s health, and could save the NHS £1.4bn per year [4] : With the Future Homes Standard set to effectively ban installations of gas boilers in new build homes from 2025, ground source heat pumps are expected to be an essential solution for the Government to meet its target of 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028 and propel the UK to Net Zero. By 2030 Kensa plans to deliver 70,000 ground source heat pumps a year, a move that will create 7,000 green jobs and put more people in control over when they heat their homes. Registrations for the online launch are open now: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-next-generation-of-home-heating-tickets-807897371787?aff=PRGen Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Hochiki Europe, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of fire detection and emergency lighting solutions, is thrilled to announce its participation in SICUR 2024, Spain’s premier international security event. The company is set to exhibit a range of products including its groundbreaking Ekho Hybrid Wireless fire detection range, leading intelligent emergency lighting system FIREscape Nepto and life safety platform Latitude, the team will be providing attendees with a hands-on look at the technology. SICUR, recognised as the leading event in Spain for security and safety, offers an ideal platform for Hochiki Europe to demonstrate its commitment to innovation and excellence in the Fire industry. The event will take place from the 27th February to the 1st March at the Feria de Madrid, where Hochiki Europe will be in Hall 8 stand G10A. Visitors will experience a full showcase of this world leader’s range of cutting-edge fire detection products, and how they integrate with the manufacturers’ renowned ESP intelligent range. Richard Wharram, Export Sales Manager at Hochiki Europe, expressed his enthusiasm about the company’s participation in SICUR and the opportunity to present such a wide range of products “SICUR is a key event for the security industry, and we are excited to be part of it. Amongst the many products we’ll be showcasing, I’m particularly excited to share our Ekho Hybrid Wireless range with visitors. A second-generation hybrid wireless solution, first launched in the UK in 2020, represents a significant leap forward in wireless fire detection technology, offering enhanced flexibility, reliability, and ease of installation. We look forward to meeting and talking to industry professionals, partners, and potential clients to share our vision for the future of fire safety.” Joining the team at SICUR 2024 is Raul Solinz, Hochiki Europe’s newly appointed Regional Sales Manager for the Iberian and Mediterranean regions. Solinz brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, and his presence at the event underscores Hochiki Europe’s commitment to strengthening its presence in the Spanish and European markets. Raul Solinz commented on his new role and the significance of showcasing Ekho Hybrid Wireless at SICUR: “I am delighted to be part of the Hochiki Europe team and excited about the opportunity to meet with industry stakeholders at SICUR. The range we’ll have on offer addresses the evolving needs of the market and is a testament to Hochiki Europe’s dedication to providing state-of-the-art solutions. I look forward to discussing how our innovative products can contribute to enhancing fire safety across various sectors in the region.” Visit Hochiki Europe in Hall 8 stand G10A during SICUR 2024 to explore Latitude, FIREscape Nepto and the Ekho Hybrid Wireless fire detection ranges, and engage with the experts shaping the future of fire safety technology. Learn more about the Ekho Hybrid Wireless Range https://www.hochiki-ekho.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Industry-leading global provider of integrated process and mixing solutions, ProSep, has received official acknowledgment from the US Patent Office for improvements made to its recognized Annual Injection Mixer (AIM), resulting in a new patent being issued. Part of ProSep’s portfolio of differentiated technologies for higher operational performance, AIM is the technology of choice for the global energy industry, providing an innovative alternative to traditional injection quills and static mixers. Highlighting its commitment to optimizing its leading technologies for evolving industry requirements and operations, ProSep received US Patent 11,673,104 B2 for its latest improvements to the technology. These improvements optimize the energy transfer of the process fluid to the injected phase, leading to enhanced additive dispersion throughout the process stream. As a result, there is significantly greater surface area of the additive for optimal utilization, reducing the need for overdosing, all with minimal pressure drop and with performance-substantiated field data indicating additive savings of 20-60%. AIM’s improved design has already been used extensively for natural gas conditioning that requires a large turndown of the NG flow and LPG injection volumes. CFD modeling and field performance have validated vaporization distance for critical process systems. Chief Technical Officer at ProSep, John Sabey, welcomed the recognition, commenting: “This patent is a testament to our commitment to improving the innovative solutions we offer clients and our ability to provide adaptive technology that can help optimize existing operations. As an outstanding example of our proprietary mixing technologies, AIM has a longstanding track record of reducing chemical and wash water injection for upstream operations, resulting in enhanced plant efficiency and significant cost savings for operators. These improvements, covered by the patent, create new application opportunities in the midstream, natural gas, and LNG markets. Additionally, we are also pursuing deployment in downstream and carbon capture applications. These improvements and the recognition received by the US Patent Office will allow us to continue deploying AIM across projects to support industry aims to adopt more environmentally conscious technologies that optimize critical resources.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The new $30 million facility in Warrington, UK, is expected to open in 2025 creating 50 new jobs Warringtonfire, a global leader in Fire Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC), has announced plans to open a new facility in Warrington, UK. Expected to open in 2025, the new facility will be the largest in the UK and provide fire testing, technical and certification services. Customer demands for Warringtonfire’s product testing are set to continue to grow significantly, due to increasing regulatory requirements, the introduction of additional standards, the rising importance of third-party certification and product assurance as well as the need for shorter testing lead times. The new facility will meet this increased demand; it will represent an almost 80% increase in size over its existing facility in the region and is expected to triple Warringtonfire’s testing capacity in the medium term. The new facility, which is being built at Birchwood Park near Warrington, will add unique capabilities including eight state-of-the-art fire resistance testing furnaces, comprising three horizontal and three vertical furnaces (designed to evaluate the fire performance of different products or assemblies built either horizontally or vertically), and two indicative furnaces (which provide a very focused testing method to quantify the ability of a material or assembly to withstand exposure to high temperatures). The new facility will also provide larger preparation areas to improve workflow as well as higher quality and more accessible customer reception and viewing areas. In line with the commitment to be more sustainable, the new facility will implement extensive measures to reduce energy use, maintain air quality and potential environmental impacts, including built-in recycling systems, energy-efficient fans, plus smoke & odour capture and treatment. The new facility will create over 50 new jobs in the Warrington region, with a commitment to training and upskilling new and existing employees. The 200 strong team will be one of the world’s largest teams of fire technical experts. Jason Dodds, VP of Warringtonfire, said: “Our new fire testing facility in Warrington is a major investment in the region and a statement of our ambition for the business. We are excited to be expanding into Birchwood Park and undertake our essential product testing in this state-of-the-art business park. “The new facility will significantly improve Warringtonfire’s testing offering for our customers, providing a faster and more wider ranging service, as well as expanded access to technical excellence delivered by the foremost experts in the fields of fire testing and certification. It will solidify our position as the go-to partner for fire testing and related services and broaden our ability to serve customers across the value chain. Using best in class building design and new technology, we will also be able to greatly improve our environmental footprint, which is incredibly important to us as a company and is becoming increasingly important for our customers.” Warringtonfire’s existing facility will continue to operate at full capacity while the new facility is under construction. Following the transfer of fire resistance testing to Birchwood Park, part of the existing facility will be used to create a center of excellence for reaction to fire testing, which are smaller scale tests including spread of flame and heat release. Construction of the new 101k sq. ft. facility has begun and is expected to be completed in 2025. The total investment in the new facility will be circa $30 million. The designers were TP Bennett Architects and Hoare Lea and construction is being managed by Arcadis with Tilbury Douglas as the principal contractor carrying out the works. Warringtonfire specialises in providing comprehensive testing and certification services related to infrastructure, with a portfolio of services including fire resistance and reaction to fire testing, security, durability and weather testing, product certification and inspection. Warringtonfire works with key stakeholders at every stage of the project lifecycle, from architects and designers to contractors and developers, planning and local authorities, building owners and operators and product manufacturers. The new enhanced facility will be of particular use for product manufacturers for their R&D development for bringing a product to market or for achieving certification.
MaterialsZone, the leading Materials Informatics platform for manufacturers’ R&D teams, and Kafrit Group, a global masterbatches and compounds producer, announced today their long-term commercial agreement enabling Kafrit Group to better utilize their data to develop improved products and provide an unparalleled customer experience to its clients. With a crowded, competitive landscape, constantly changing customer demands, supply chain challenges, and intensifying regulatory requirements, the manufacturing industry is facing increasing costs and prolonged time to market and delivery. The solution to this challenge hinges on harnessing data and becoming data-driven, yet these companies lack the necessary tools and expertise. MaterialsZone has developed a unique Materials Informatics Platform, leveraging data and harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning, enabling companies such as Kafrit Group to augment their internal capabilities and increase collaboration. Not only does the platform aggregate, enrich, and standardize data, but it also enables materials and data scientists to gain insight and knowledge on developing and improving products faster and at a reduced cost. “I see Kafrit Group as an ideal partner, not just because I’m confident they are confronting challenges we can assist with, but also due to their forward-thinking approach to innovation,” said Dr. Assaf Anderson, Founder and CEO of MaterialsZone. “This approach promises a smoother implementation and the potential for a successful outcome.” “The plastics industry is very crowded and constantly changing, which indicates innovation will be key to staying competitive,” said Kafrit Group’s CEO Daniel Singer. “Tools like that of MaterialsZone will bring a much-needed data and artificial intelligence revolution into the Group, leading us into a better future and a better position in the market. Furthermore, MaterialsZone facilitates team collaboration and synergies within the Group, allowing us to harness our global assets more effectively.” Materials and materials-based products are ubiquitous, ranging from environmentally friendly concrete, advanced alloys for spacecraft, enhanced polymers and plastics, next-generation batteries, and many others. Last year, companies across various industries invested 41.6 billion dollars annually in research and development (R&D). However, their limited data utilization capabilities call for a disruptive change, as indicated by the 25% compound annual growth rate projected for the Materials Informatics market. MaterialsZone closes the gap, empowering its customers to build better and more sustainable products while dramatically reducing costs. This partnership was envisioned and will be pursued in honor of Kafrit Group’s SVP BD & Innovation, Nadav Goldstein, who was killed on October 7th in Kfar Aza, Israel. Before his passing, he had this to say about the partnership: “With our global and expanding presence in the plastics industry, we constantly seek innovative tools to bolster our competitive edge and enhance the customer experience. The extraordinary team at MaterialsZone, along with their unique platform, will support our digital transformation process and will drive us towards a better future in which we can meet industry standards and our customers’ needs by enabling us to design our products with cost, sustainability, and functionality in mind.” For more information, please visit: https://www.materials.zone/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Panics come and panics go in the pragmatic world of engineering. It is part of the job to identify potentially intractable problems – and then bend the collective mind to creating a practical solution to them. That is why the current disquiet over RAAC in a number of public buildings throughout the UK needs to be kept in perspective. If you subsisted only on a diet of mainstream media, you could be forgiven for thinking the entire built estate was on the point of imminent collapse. For clarity, this is not the case. Yes, RAAC – Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete – exists in a number of buildings, but the number is small in comparison to the totality of schools (more than 20,000 in England), hospitals and other public buildings, and most closures are precautionary, rather than evidence-based. But first of all, what is RAAC? It is an aerated lightweight cementitious material with no coarse aggregate, looking in cross-section a bit like the inside of an Aero bar. When it was introduced to the UK from Scandinavia in the reconstruction period after the war, it was hailed as an innovative wonder material. In fact, if RAAC planks – the technical name for the concrete panels – in a building are properly protected, there is a maintenance schedule and there is no sign of water ingress, the roof will likely be fine and the facility can continue to be used. According to construction and engineering materials expert Professor Chris Goodier of Loughborough University, RAAC is still manufactured and installed all over the world and can be an appropriate construction material if properly designed, manufactured, installed and maintained. The problems arise in situation where maintenance has been neglected over the course of years, or indeed decades. In buildings from the fifties, sixties and seventies, when RAAC was used freely, maintenance regimes were not as comprehensive as they are now and users did not know what to look for or what to do. Given that the material was lightweight and economical, it is hardly surprising that many manufacturers were happy to supply it – with the best of intentions and with no foreknowledge of the issues which would rear their heads further down the line. Although local authorities have been aware of RAAC in their buildings for some time, things came to the boil a year ago when the Office of Government Property sent a Safety Briefing Notice to all Property Leaders, regarding the dangers of RAAC, stating that “it is now life-expired and liable to collapse”. It put the onus squarely on those responsible for the management, maintenance or alteration of central and local government buildings to know whether their buildings contain RAAC and, where they do, to act appropriately to ensure that such buildings are deemed safe. How can those concerned go about this? The first step is inspection, either by a surveyor or a structural engineer. Both are professionals who will act in the client’s interest, the difference being that the former will identify problems while the latter will also propose manageable solutions. Inspection is eased by the fact that most RAAC planks are in flat roofs on single-storey buildings. Drones can give a clear picture of the roof covering and heat sensors can check if water has penetrated. If there is water ingress, then as far as RAAC is concerned it is game over. There is no remedial solution and use of the building has to be immediately stopped. However, RAAC planks can be replaced with traditional roofs with timber joists or a dual-pitch roof truss. The good news is that RAAC does not affect residential buildings. The bad news is that, like a previous panic – asbestos, many owners or operators of public or commercial properties do not know that they are, or might be, affected. The issue is not going to go away. But there are answers to it, and prudence would dictate more regular monitoring and inspection regimes – something that will almost certainly be factored in by insurance companies at renewal time. However, It’s not a case of RAAC and ruin. Professional advice and guidance can alleviate the understandable instinct to panic. Alan Ferns is Director – Structural Engineering at Dougall Baillie Associates Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Knauf Insulation has launched FactoryClad Roll 35, a non-combustible glass mineral wool solution for built-up metal walls and roofs with the lowest embodied carbon of any equivalent 35 lambda mineral wool product on the UK market.[1] FactoryClad Roll 35 was specifically developed to insulate the 12,000m2 roof of the new Co-op Live arena in Manchester, one of Europe’s largest and most sustainable live entertainment arenas. “Co-op Live is a project that places sustainability at its heart,” explained Liliya Luke, Glass Mineral Wool Product Manager at Knauf Insulation. “So it was essential our new FactoryClad Roll 35 not only delivered the required thermal efficiency but met the project’s sustainability requirements.” “We know that the construction industry faces a monumental task in delivering on the country’s net zero target. FactoryClad Roll 35 not only ticks all the boxes in terms of thermal, fire safety and acoustic performance but it’s backed up by the sustainability credentials the industry needs, so we decided to roll it out to meet demand for sustainable insulation for commercial buildings.” FactoryClad Roll 35 is non-combustible with the best Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification. Because it is made of mineral wool, it also acts as a sound absorbent lining within built-up metal roofs, so will help control the reverberation of internal sound. It comes in five thicknesses between 60 and 220mm and is manufactured at a width of 1,200mm for speed of fitting. It also has a high tear strength which ensures its durability and ease of handling during installation. FactoryClad Roll 35 is backed up by a wide range of sustainability credentials. It’s manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder that contains no added phenol or formaldehyde and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binders. Products made with ECOSE® Technology generate low levels of dust and low VOCs and have been awarded the Eurofins Gold Certificate for Indoor Air Comfort. All Knauf Insulation’s glass mineral wool is made using up to 80% recycled content, mainly bottles and jars collected from the local area. The company has also invested in the most advanced compression packaging, which reduces handling, storage and transport emissions as well as the amount of plastic film used. In addition, the products are manufactured in the UK. Like other Knauf Insulation glass mineral wool products, FactoryClad Roll 35 is accredited Declare ‘Red List Free’. This means there is an obligation to disclose a full list of product ingredients up to 0.01% and it certifies that the product does not contain any harmful chemicals featured on the Declare ‘Red List’. For more information visit www.knaufinsulation.co.uk/factoryclad-roll-35. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals [1] Based on published EPD data available in October 2023.
The ISO 9001 certification covers all of Farasis Energy Europe’s business processes. These include business development, purchasing, finance, product development, project management, operations, quality assurance, logistics, human resources, IT, calibration and maintenance. Strategic planning and after-sales services were also audited. The audit process lasted several days. As a result, the inspection body attested zero major and zero minor non-conformities as well as exemplary handling. “Certification was one of our main goals for this year. We attach great importance to quality, and we wanted to have this officially confirmed. The entire top management level was therefore actively involved in the process. The successful certification is thanks to the commitment of the entire team. These efforts also enable us to further increase the satisfaction of our customers and partners – which is of course our main focus as a company,” says Dr. Stefan Bergold, General Manager at Farasis Energy Europe. “Every certification is an opportunity for Farasis Energy Europe to improve and develop. We closely follow industry trends, especially in the area of automotive quality standards. In the next phase, we are therefore aiming for ISO 14001 environmental management system certification,” Bergold continues. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
One of the most significant changes to the traditional ‘recipe’ for making concrete since the 1980s, is set to be introduced in the UK, helping architects and engineers decarbonise the construction of buildings and infrastructure. Changes to standards for concrete have been published by BSI, the business improvement and standards company, and could save 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year – the equivalent of over 3,500 transatlantic flights – if the changes are adopted across all UK construction sites. The new concrete ‘recipe’ blends finely ground limestone from UK quarries with other materials such as fly ash, a by-product from power generation and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), a by-product from the steel industry. UK Concrete and cement manufacturing accounts for 7.7m tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, equating to 1.5 per cent of the UK’s total carbon emissions. The majority of the carbon dioxide emissions is associated with the production of cement, and using these supplementary materials such as limestone powder helps to reduce the amount of traditional cement (CEM I) to create a lower carbon concrete. With the new standards now available, the CEM I content in concrete can be replaced with up to 20 per cent of limestone powder, a product widely available in the UK. For every 5 per cent of limestone powder added, a 5 per cent CO2 reduction can be delivered per tonne of concrete, according to MPA UK Concrete, the group representing the UK concrete industry. “Making concrete is a bit like baking except that with concrete, ingredients are combined to alter properties such as strength, deliver environmental performance and change the aesthetics of the finished material,” says Elaine Toogood, director, architecture and sustainable design at the Concrete Centre. “In a climate emergency, this new approved standard is important to helping architects and engineers significantly lower embodied manufacturing emissions today and in the future, while delivering structural strength in buildings and infrastructure. “Providing a new generation of concretes are an important part of the UK concrete and cement industry’s roadmap to net zero alongside other technologies including the use of decarbonised transport, fuel switching and Carbon Capture, Usage or Storage (CCUS) technology.” For many years, GGBS and fly ash have been repurposed as an ingredient for concrete, but less of it is being produced in the net zero transition, so the use of limestone fines is important for helping to provide a sustainable source of materials to continue to lower the embodied emissions of concrete. The new specification changes are part of a rigorous research and testing process over two years with the results then independently assessed for inclusion into the standard by the BSI technical committee for concrete. The concrete and cement industry has a strong track record of decarbonisation, having already delivered a 53% reduction in absolute carbon emissions since 1990 and is decarbonising, as a whole, faster than the UK economy. To find out more, please visit: www.thisisukconcrete.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
