Laing O’Rourke clarifies cement policy

The firm does not intend to replace the use of Portland cement in its concrete.

Laing O’Rourke has clarified its low-carbon concrete will involve a mixture of:

• Portland cement (OPC). 
• Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS). 
• Pulverised Fly Ash (PFA).  

This comes after the firm’s initial release seemed to suggest that OPC would be phased out of use in its UK projects, as Construction Wave reported last week. 

Laing O’Rourke has since assured that it intends to dilute its concrete with low-carbon alternatives, it was reported. 

Why low-carbon concrete?

In its research programme with Innovate UK, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Sheffield, the firm tested the use of GGBS and PFA in concrete. 

The study concluded that the alternatives could successfully be deployed in projects that would traditionally rely on OPC. 

The firm has added these alternatives to its concrete to reduce its scope three carbon emissions and reach net zero by 2050. 

“Laing O’Rourke will only use low carbon concrete on its new UK projects. This is aligned with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) definition, of Grade A or better,” said a spokesperson for Laing O’Rourke.

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