ICT convention to focus on net zero

The Institute of Concrete Technology (ICT) will hold its 53rd annual convention on 29 May 2025 at Trinity College Dublin. This year’s symposium, The Pursuit of Net Zero Concrete: Materials, Design and Practical Applications, is the fourth in a series focused on sustainability in the sector.

Organised in collaboration with Trinity College’s Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, the convention will explore four key themes: cement, aggregates, concrete, and structures. Presentations will centre on how research and practical solutions can support decarbonisation at scale within concrete construction.

Topics include low-carbon cement production, alternative materials, embodied carbon reduction in structural design, and 3D printed housing. Confirmed speakers include Brian Gilmore (Cement Manufacturers Ireland), Shiju Joseph (University of Cambridge), Fragkoulis Kanavaris (Arup), and Erisa Myrtja (Ecocem).

The event aims to support concrete specifiers, suppliers, and users in navigating new technologies and approaches. According to ICT, the programme reflects growing national and international concern about the environmental legacy of Portland cement-based concretes.

There will also be opportunities for informal discussions and networking, with welcome drinks hosted at Doyle’s Pub on the evening of 28 May, and a drinks reception and gala dinner following the convention.

Clare Howcutt-Kelly, editor of Concrete Connect, said: “The ICT convention remains one of the key forums for exploring realistic, commercially relevant routes to lower-carbon concrete. It brings technical expertise and industry application together in a way that is both accessible and essential.”

Registration is open to ICT members and non-members alike. More information, including hotel booking links and the full programme, is available on the ICT website.