Cement is one of construction’s hardest-to-abate materials, responsible for around 8% of global CO₂ emissions. While designers have long focused on operational energy efficiency, the carbon locked into our materials has become the next frontier. That’s why the UK Government’s decision to greenlight Heidelberg Materials’ carbon capture project at its Padeswood cement plant in North Wales is so significant.

Why Cement Matters in the Carbon Debate

The cement and concrete sector is one of the most challenging areas to decarbonise. Globally, cement production generates more than 2.5 billion tonnes of CO₂ every year — more than the aviation and shipping industries combined. In the UK, embodied carbon in construction materials is estimated to account for around a quarter of built environment emissions. For designers, this means even the most energy-efficient buildings risk missing net zero targets unless materials are addressed.

The Padeswood Project

Once operational in 2029, the Padeswood plant will capture up to 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually, storing it permanently beneath Liverpool Bay. Together with a second waste-to-energy project at Protos in Ellesmere Port, the two schemes will remove more than a million tonnes of CO₂each year while creating hundreds of jobs. For the construction sector, it signals the arrival of carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a mainstream solution rather than an experimental sideline.

Implications for Designers and Clients

The arrival of CCS-enabled cement means:

• New material options: Specifiers will soon see “low-carbon cement” as part of mainstream procurement.
• Certification advantages: Projects aiming for BREEAM, LEED or WELL ratings, or aligned with RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge and LETI targets, could meet embodied carbon benchmarks more easily.
• Market pressure: Developers and investors are increasingly asking for proof of embodied carbon reductions.

But it also raises questions: how do we weigh carbon capture against alternative binders, timber or circular reuse strategies? And how do we ensure Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) reflect real performance rather than greenwash?

Balancing Promise with Caution

While CCS offers huge potential, there are risks. CCS is expensive, energy-intensive, and some critics argue it risks entrenching reliance on cement when more radical material shifts are needed. Yet in the race to net zero, pragmatism matters. Cement is not disappearing any time soon, and capturing its carbon at source could be one of the most effective levers we have.

At Green Building Design, we believe the Padeswood project marks a turning point for the materials we all rely on. For the first time, designers and clients may soon be able to specify cement products with dramatically reduced embodied carbon — without compromising cost or performance.

As these low-carbon products come onto the market, our role is to help clients navigate the opportunities, integrate them into sustainable design strategies, and ensure they are applied responsibly within a broader net zero framework without losing sight of cost, programme or performance.

Want to know how embodied carbon reduction scan fit into your next project?
Contact our team to discuss how Green Building Design can support you with sustainable specifications, lifecycle assessments, and pathways to net zero.

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