Innovate UK’s Advance Market Commitment for next-generation low-carbon concrete continues to build momentum as three new organisations join the list of signatories
The joining of Keltbray Group, Curtins Consulting and COWI UK underlines growing confidence across the construction and infrastructure sectors in the UK’s transition to low-carbon concrete.
The announcement, made during Concrete Transition Capital’s London Climate Action Week “AI Data for Good”, brings the total number of signatories to 13.
Creating a future market for low-carbon concrete
Launched by Innovate UK, in partnership with Carbon Limiting Technologies, and backed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Advance Market Commitment (AMC) is designed to accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative low-carbon concrete by creating a guaranteed future market for these products.
By committing to purchase next-generation concrete solutions once they meet agreed technical and commercial criteria, signatories send a strong demand signal that helps unlock investment and scale up production.
Ben Alston from COWI UK explained: “We are delighted to join the AMC, which we see as a critical mechanism to help unlock both the supply of and demand for innovative low-carbon concrete solutions.
“By participating, we will use our commitments to actively drive the specification of low-carbon concrete in our designs, while working closely with clients, contractors and suppliers to turn ambition into delivery and accelerate adoption across the industry.”
AMC reached over 20% of target volume in first six months
Earlier this year, BAM UK & Ireland and WSP joined the eight founding signatories – AtkinsRealis, Buro Happold, Derwent London, Heathrow, JN Bentley, Mott Macdonald, Ramboll and Scottish Water – enabling the AMC to reach over 20% of its target volume within just six months of launch.
More organisations, including infrastructure developers, water companies, data centre builders, Tier 1 contractors and engineering consultancies, are in discussions to join.
From pilot projects to full deployment
With the collective ambition to aggregate demand for substantial volumes of next-generation low-carbon concrete, there are signs that the AMC is already increasing innovators’ and investors’ confidence that demand exists to move from pilot projects to full-scale deployment.
The AMC team has accelerated important work with the insurance sector to develop pathways for the insurability of new concretes, and the AMC Independent Expert Group is providing signatories with confidence that new concretes aligned with the AMC will meet their requirements.
The role of AI tools in transitioning to low-carbon concrete
Attendees at the London Climate Week event ‘AI Data For Good’ heard how a new generation of data tools and AI-assisted platforms are supporting the transition to innovative low-carbon concrete.
It’s the latest in a series of cross-sector events, such as the AMC Procure event, which brought together 95 concrete buyers, specifiers, investors, insurers, and ready-to-scale innovators and focused on how to scale up financing for low-carbon concrete innovation.
Dr Stafford Lloyd, innovation lead, Clean Growth Strategy at Innovate UK, concluded: “The continued growth of the AMC demonstrates that industry is ready to move from ambition to action on decarbonising concrete.
“By bringing more organisations into the AMC, we are strengthening the collective demand signal that gives innovators the confidence to scale.”
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