LONDON, 26 June 2026 – Major companies are proving that ambitious climate targets are achievable – and can even be significantly surpassed. New data from Climate Group’s ConcreteZero initiative shows that 55% of reported concrete used by member organisations in 2025 is meeting the initiative’s low-carbon concrete definition, well above the interim target of 30%.
The results show how corporate buyers can take decisive steps today to address concrete’s hefty carbon footprint of around 8% of global emissions. The data submitted covers 189 projects and more than 700,000 m³ of concrete across the UK and Ireland, a significant achievement that is advancing how the sector measures and tracks embodied carbon at scale.
Just over half (51%) of these projects are outside Southeast England, demonstrating that progress is being made across a variety of regions in the UK and Ireland.
The progress is underpinned by a data management tool that ConcreteZero custom-built for buyers and specifiers of concrete. This means that for the first time, contractors and designers can consistently measure the carbon impact of their concrete all the way from specification to on-site use.
The lower-emission building projects reported on span the full range of development types. For example, at 2 Finsbury Avenue, a twin-tower development in the heart of the City of London, low-carbon concrete was embedded into the project from the foundations up. Concrete with 95% of the cement replaced with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) was used across 280 piles in 58-metre-deep foundations, substantially reducing embodied carbon. The development is targeting Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) ‘outstanding’ certification, which is a widely used UK scheme that measures a building’s environmental sustainability.
Low-carbon concrete has also been used at residential complexes, including during the redevelopment of the former BBC Television Centre, and education facilities like Oxford's Institute for Global Health. This demonstrates that these approaches are now viable across sectors and project types.
Sustaining the momentum and creating real-market transformation means going further, and faster, Climate Group said. The sector urgently needs to see more complete data and deeper supply chain collaboration to ensure sector-wide adoption.
Helen Clarkson, CEO, Climate Group:
“The concrete sector will not decarbonise without clear demand from the market. When major buyers act together, markets move. These results show our members are delivering on real projects, generating data the whole sector needs, and proving that low-carbon concrete is achievable today. That's our theory of change in action, and it's exactly the kind of progress we need to see replicated across the entire global concrete sector. Now we need policies to speed up the transition.”
Matthew Webster, Head of Sustainability, British Land:
“Specifying and using lower-carbon concrete is no longer a 'nice to have' – it's a fundamental lever for decarbonising the built environment. Concrete is one of the largest contributors to embodied carbon in our projects, so every decision we make at design and procurement stage has a material impact on whole-life emissions.
As developers, we have a responsibility to send clear signals to the supply chain, drive innovation, and normalise low-carbon solutions like supplementary cementitious materials at scale. The evidence shows we can do this without compromising performance. If we are serious about meeting net zero targets, we must embed lower-carbon concrete as standard practice today – because the assets we deliver now will define our carbon footprint for decades to come."
Matthew Whitman, Head of Sustainability, JRL Group:
"Across our live projects, low-carbon concrete isn’t a pilot scheme, it is how we build. We are putting our commitment into practice on the ground by tracking every mix against strength and emissions data. By progressively replacing cement with materials like GGBS and adjusting designs with suppliers, we maintain performance without the carbon cost. Exceeding these targets proves that sustainable concrete works at scale today. It actively drives our net-zero strategy forward while supporting our sustainable growth."
Peyrouz Modarrez, Director, Walsh:
“Measuring and challenging embodied carbon in our designs has been central to our practice for many years, as the greatest opportunities to reduce embodied carbon are often found in the earliest design decisions.
The key is turning that data into outcomes. ConcreteZero’s reporting tool gives the industry granular, project-level insight into concrete use and embodied carbon. Supporting engineers, clients and contractors to make informed choices on specification, mix design and cement replacement while there is time to influence cost, programme and outcomes is how carbon commitments become practical decisions on real projects.”
– ENDS –
For media enquiries, please contact Alexandra Brandt Corstius, Communications Manager ConcreteZero at Climate Group, abrandtcorstius@climategroup.org
About ConcreteZero
ConcreteZero is a global initiative led by the international non-profit Climate Group, which brings together pioneering organisations to create a market for net zero concrete. Businesses that join ConcreteZero commit to using 100% net zero concrete by 2050, with two ambitious 2025 and 2030 commitments that set a clear pathway to net zero. By harnessing our member’s collective purchasing power and influence, ConcreteZero sends a strong demand signal to shift global markets, investment and policies towards the sustainable production and sourcing of concrete.
About British Land
British Land is a UK commercial property company focused on real estate sectors with the strongest operational fundamentals: London campuses and retail parks. We own or manage a portfolio valued at £15.8bn (British Land share: £10.1bn) as at 31 March 2026. Our purpose is to create and manage Places People Prefer – outstanding places that deliver positive outcomes for all our stakeholders on a long term, sustainable basis. We do this by leveraging our best-in-class platform and proven expertise in development, repositioning and active asset management.
About JRL Group
Founded in 1996, JRL Group is a leading UK-based construction company that offers fully integrated construction solutions. Operating 14 specialist divisions, the company handles everything from design, demolition, and groundworks to concrete frames and full turnkey delivery across the residential, commercial, and institutional sectors. By combining design, manufacturing, and logistics under an in-house supply chain, JRL Group reduces project risks and provides greater certainty for building developments across the UK.
About Walsh
Walsh is a civil, structural and geotechnical engineering consultancy delivering integrated engineering solutions for complex residential, commercial and regeneration projects across the UK. Established in 1989, the practice employs more than 120 people and provides engineering design services from concept through to completion. Sustainability is embedded within the design process, with projects typically achieving embodied carbon reductions of 10-20%, and some flagship developments delivering reductions of 60-70% against baseline figures.