Milestone Infrastructure has successfully trialled a cement-free concrete on Histon Road in Cambridge, eastern England. As cement is the main contributor of carbon in standard concrete, removing all cement within the product provides significant environmental benefits.
Milestone Infrastructure has successfully trialled a cement-free concrete as part of road widening work in Cambridge
The project involves the widening of Histon Road to enhance the walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure to encourage alternative travel methods and is being delivered for the Greater Cambridge Partnership.
Following a carefully considered planning process, which involved adjusting the mix design to ensure the concrete was delivered at the correct slump, the new low-carbon mixture was successfully used to lay the new kerbs.
The primary benefit of using this mixture of concrete is reducing levels of carbon emissions. The 6m3 load used on the first day of the trial saved just over 1.2tCO2e. This is equivalent to planting six trees or switching off 39 LED lights for a year. If used more widely across other Milestone Infrastructure contracts, significant carbon savings could be made, which will help Milestone Infrastructure, and their clients hit carbon reduction targets.
Dan Wood, senior project manager at Milestone Infrastructure, said: “This trial has demonstrated a wealth of benefits that will improve our highways activities and support our continued efforts to reduce the levels of carbon throughout the business. The success of this trial will hopefully mean that this innovative kerb laying technique can be implemented across other contracts throughout Milestone Infrastructure, improving the services that we provide our clients.”
