Reflections on a Milestone for Low-Carbon Cement at Wembley Park

We recently gathered with partners and consortium members at Wembley Park to reflect on the successful completion of the construction phase of our low-carbon concrete demonstrator project. Supported by Innovate UK, this was a pivotal moment not just for Ecocem, but for everyone committed to accelerating the decarbonisation of the construction industry. 

The event—hosted on site at Sisk’s NE02/NE03 development—brought together representatives from Sisk, Ramboll, Loughborough University, Creagh Concrete, Capital Concrete, BRE Group, and Innovate UK. We were also joined by Sisk’s client, Quintain, who has been instrumental in supporting the delivery of this project. 

The day provided an opportunity to showcase the two-storey demonstrator structure built using ACT, Ecocem’s advanced low-carbon cement technology. This structure incorporates pre-cast stairs, columns, walls, and in-situ slabs and rising elements, all constructed with ACT cement technology using a range of construction methodologies.  

We set the stage with three key panels, helping guide visitors through the technical journey and the results: 

1. Concrete Quality and Performance:
   Creagh Concrete and Capital Concrete shared their firsthand experience supplying and working with concrete made from ACT cement. Their message was consistent: it behaved just like traditional concrete. Workability, curing, and strength development all met expectations. There were no surprises — which, in this industry, is exactly what you want.
2. Independent Evaluation:
   Ramboll and Loughborough University provided impartial, expert oversight throughout the project. Their findings aligned with those of the concrete teams: the concrete made from ACT cement technology performed precisely as specified, meeting all design criteria. The only, but key difference, was a dramatic cut in carbon emissions.
3. The Carbon Story:
   This is where ACT truly stands out. While standard concrete typically emits between 270–300 kg/CO2e per cubic metre, ACT delivered emissions as low as 77 kg/CO2e. It’s a game-changing result, especially in an industry responsible for almost 8% of global carbon emissions.

Groundbreaking CO2 Reductions 

The most remarkable thing about concrete made with ACT cement is how unremarkable it is. It works. It performs like any good concrete should, doing exactly what’s expected—but with one vital difference: it carries a fraction of the carbon footprint. 

Both Creagh and Capital Concrete were unequivocal: they would work with ACT again tomorrow. For the independent testers, it was similarly straightforward—the concrete made with ACT behaves as you would expect, but with 70% less carbon.

For our partners at Sisk and Quintain, the path forward is clear. We now need to work together to address the remaining challenge: standards and regulations need to be amended to enable the insurability and wider adoption of low-carbon technologies like ACT. This project demonstrates that barriers to adoption of low-carbon cement technologies are no longer technical – they are regulatory.

Looking Ahead 

The successful delivery of the Wembley Park demonstrator is not only a landmark moment for our ACT technology, it also marks the start of the next phase. With construction of our first ACT production facility in Dunkirk underway, scheduled to start production in 2026 with an initial capacity for 300,000 tonnes a year we are now on track to produce at scale. The priority now is pushing for the industry-wide changes needed to make low-carbon concrete the norm. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us on the day and to our partners across the consortium. Together, we are proving that scalable, low-carbon concrete is not only possible – it’s ready. 

• For more insights into Ecocem’s innovative solutions and Sisk’s sustainability initiatives read our previous blog on this project here. 
• Contact us to talk to us about a project here