The construction industry faces an urgent problem regarding carbon footprint, with concrete accounting for more than 7% of all global CO2 emissions, principally from energy cost in the manufacture of cement.
Legislation to decarbonise the industry is already driving decision-making on planning and budgets and with existing cement replacement technologies becoming increasingly unsustainable, a new solution is required to reduce embodied carbon in the built environment.
Developed by Nationwide Engineering Research & Development (NERD) and The University of Manchester’s Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), Concretene is a graphene-enhanced admixture for concrete, engineered to improve performance and sustainability.
The technology improves the microstructure of concrete, significantly increasing compressive, tensile and flexural strength, reducing curing periods, microcracking and permeability. Our aim is for a 30% reduction in cement content, dependent on application, and proportionally decreased embodied carbon on construction projects.
