CARBON EXPOSURE IN CEMENT & CONCRETE

Portland cement is the single largest source of embodied carbon in concrete. Its production is energy-intensive and chemically releases CO₂ during clinker formation. Cement and concrete producers therefore face:

• Increasing regulatory scrutiny on embodied carbon

• Rising exposure to carbon pricing and reporting obligations

• Growing exclusion from public and private procurement frameworks that mandate low-carbon materials

At the same time, demand for concrete remains structurally strong due to urbanisation, infrastructure renewal and housing demand. The challenge is not reducing concrete usage, but decarbonising it at scale.

MARKET DEMAND FOR LOW-CARBON MATERIALS 

Public authorities, developers and infrastructure owners increasingly specify embodied carbon thresholds in tender requirements. “Buy Clean” policies, whole-life carbon assessments and net-zero commitments are becoming standard practice.

Manufacturers unable to demonstrate credible reductions in embodied carbon risk losing market share, particularly in infrastructure, commercial real estate and publicly funded projects.

WHAT IS CARBON CURB?

Carbon Curb is a construction-sector proprietary decarbonisation programme developed exclusively by NANOARC that enables cement and concrete producers to significantly reduce embodied carbon through the partial or near-total replacement of Portland cement using proprietary nano-engineered additives. The programme allows manufacturers to lower emissions while maintaining or improving material performance, without requiring fundamental changes to existing production processes.

Carbon Curb delivers commercial value through cost optimisation, regulatory risk mitigation, improved market competitiveness and access to carbon credit mechanisms. It is particularly well positioned to meet growing demand for low-carbon construction materials driven by regulation, public procurement requirements and investor-led ESG expectations.

CARBON CURB SOLUTIONS 

Carbon Curb enables the reduction of Portland cement content by approximately 25–100% through the use of nano-engineered materials such as QUANTCEM and QUANTCRETE. These materials improve cement efficiency, allowing lower cement volumes to deliver equal or superior performance.

Key characteristics of the solution include:

• Minimal changes to existing batching and production processes

• Very low additive dosages relative to total mix volumes

• Measurable and verifiable emissions reductions

• Maintained or enhanced mechanical and durability performance

COMPETITIVE DIFFERENTIATION

Adopting Carbon Curb allows manufacturers to offer demonstrably low-carbon concrete products, strengthening their position in:

• Public-sector tenders with embodied carbon thresholds

• Private developments with ESG-driven procurement

• Infrastructure projects subject to climate disclosures

This differentiation supports higher bid success rates and improved long-term customer retention.

REGULATORY & POLICY ALIGNMENT

Carbon Curb supports compliance with:

• Embodied carbon reporting requirements

• Net-zero and science-based targets

• Emerging cement and construction decarbonisation frameworks

Early adoption reduces future regulatory risk and positions manufacturers ahead of policy tightening.

ESG & INVESTOR ALIGNMENT

Lower-carbon concrete directly improves Scope 3 emissions performance for downstream clients and Scope 1 and 2 performance for producers. This strengthens ESG disclosures and supports access to sustainability-linked finance.

COST STRUCTURE BENEFITS 

Portland cement is the most carbon-intensive and often one of the highest-cost components of concrete. Reducing cement content can:

• Lower exposure to cement price volatility

• Reduce long-term raw material costs

• Mitigate future carbon taxation or levy exposure

Nano-engineered additives are applied at low volumes, limiting incremental material cost.

INCENTIVE & DISCOUNT STRUCTURE

Carbon Curb includes a phased commercial model that reduces adoption risk:

• PHASE 1: Discounted pricing for 25–50 % cement reduction

• PAHSE 2: Increased discounts for 50–100 % cement reduction

This structure allows manufacturers to trial and scale adoption while protecting margins.

CARBON CREDITS & ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE

By enabling verifiable reductions in embodied carbon, Carbon Curb creates the potential for:

• Generation of carbon credits

• Participation in voluntary or compliance carbon markets

• Monetisation of environmental attributes

This introduces a supplementary revenue stream alongside core product sales.

RISK ANALYSIS & MITIGATION

TECHNICAL RISK 

Carbon Curb is designed to maintain or improve concrete performance. The programme includes guidance, testing and verification to ensure structural integrity and durability standards are met.

MARKET RISK

Failing to transition towards low-carbon concrete presents a greater long-term risk than adoption, as procurement frameworks increasingly exclude high-embodied-carbon materials.

REGULATORY RISK

Early adoption reduces the likelihood of stranded assets, retrofitting costs or rushed compliance in response to future regulation.

PHASE 1 : PILOT DEPLOYMENT

• Introduce Carbon Curb at 25% cement reduction

• Validate performance and emissions reductions

• Establish baseline carbon reporting

PHASE 2 : SCALE-UP

• Increase cement replacement to 50 % or higher

• Integrate reductions into ESG and regulatory reporting

• Prepare carbon credit documentation

PHASE 3: COMMERCIAL INTEGRATION

• Launch low-carbon product lines

• Market embodied carbon performance

• Target green infrastructure and public-sector projects

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Primary ROI drivers include:

• Reduced cement consumption

• Improved tender success rates

• Potential carbon credit revenues

• Enhanced pricing power for sustainable products

• Reduced regulatory and compliance costs

While precise ROI varies by production scale and market, Carbon Curb presents a strong positive return profile under most regulatory and procurement scenarios.

Carbon Curb provides a commercially credible and technically practical pathway to decarbonising concrete at scale. It aligns with market demand, regulatory direction and investor expectations while delivering tangible financial and strategic benefits to manufacturers.

For cement and concrete producers seeking to remain competitive in a low-carbon construction economy, Carbon Curb represents not merely a sustainability initiative, but a core business strategy.