New British Standard for concrete welcomed

The introduction of the new standard is set to transform the concrete industry by broadening the spectrum of available low-carbon mixes for designers, contractors and manufacturers. By increasing the cementitious options available, the introduction of additional multi-component blends opens the door for scalable, low-carbon options that have the potential to become the default solution. This is because the standard will now allow additional Portland-composite cements (CEM II/C-M) as well as other composite cements (CEM VI).

It will also address other areas such as properties of fresh and hardened concrete, composition limitations, delivery procedures and conformity criteria.

Commenting on the new standard, Richard Boult, commercial technical manager for cement at Cemex UK, said: “BS 8500 has been long awaited and will be transformational for the industry, increasing the options of specifying lower-carbon concretes.  In simple terms, this means that CEMII/A-L and GGBS can be combined in a wider range of exposure classes. Our timely annual ReadyMix Commercial Conference this week has prepared us to support our customers with the changes as they hit the market. For Cemex, we now have even greater opportunity to increase availability, selection and choice across the entire Cemex portfolio, without compromising on performance.”  

Lex Russell, managing director, Cemex UK Materials and chair of the Mineral Products Association, added: “As the first UK company to introduce net-zero CO2 concrete in 2020, we have the ongoing responsibility to deliver lower carbon products at scale. The incoming changes to BS8500 are welcomed by all at Cemex as it underpins our ambitious global goal for Vertua lower-carbon cement and concrete products to reach half of all cement and concrete sales by 2025.

“The amended concrete standard will serve to keep us on track with our decarbonisation goals, with the primary objective to become a net-zero CO2 company by 2050. It also aligns with our Future in Action programme, to achieve sustainable excellence through climate action, circularity, and natural resource management.”

At Aggregate Industries, Mark Hickingbottom, commercial director, said: “We applaud the newly revised BS 8500 as a significant advancement for the construction industry and we’re ready to assist customers in capitalising on these new changes. It not only broadens the array of available low-carbon concrete mixes, but also positions Aggregate Industries at the forefront of this sustainable shift.

“Leveraging our industry partnerships, we collaborate closely with key associations to drive innovation, coupled with initiatives such as the sector's first customisable carbon reporting tool and our low-carbon portfolio. We strive to empower informed choices and look forward to hosting a series of educational webinars for the industry.”