ECOPact® Low Carbon Concrete
Lower embodied carbon. Proven concrete performance
ECOPact® is Holcim's range of low-carbon concrete, designed to help reduce the embodied carbon of buildings and infrastructure while delivering the strength, durability and performance required for construction. It’s supplied as ready-mix concrete through our UK network.
Every qualifying ECOPact® mix delivers a minimum 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with a defined reference concrete of the same strength class.*
The reduction is achieved through the concrete mix itself, without the use of carbon offsets.
30%+ lower CO₂ emissions*
100% concrete performance
No carbon offsets used to achieve the stated reduction
A measurable standard for low carbon concrete
ECOPact® is built around a clear and measurable carbon-reduction standard.
To qualify as ECOPact®, a concrete mix must achieve a minimum 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with a defined reference concrete of the same strength class, while meeting the technical performance requirements of its intended application.
This means considering embodied carbon alongside the characteristics that matter to the project, including strength, workability, setting time and durability.
Product carbon information and, where available, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) can support specification, material comparison and project carbon reporting.
Lower-carbon concrete starts with smarter specification
Reduce embodied carbon without compromising on performance.
Choosing lower-carbon concrete shouldn't mean compromising on strength, durability or buildability. With ECOPact, you can reduce the embodied carbon of your concrete while meeting the technical and practical demands of your project.
Whether you're setting sustainability targets, designing structures or delivering construction projects, ECOPact can help you make lower-carbon concrete part of your specification from the outset.
One ECOPact®. More ways to build with lower carbon.
The Low-Carbon Concrete
ECOPact® provides lower-carbon concrete solutions for a wide range of building and infrastructure applications.
Every qualifying ECOPact® mix delivers a minimum 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with the defined reference concrete of the same strength class.*
Depending on the specification, constituent materials and local availability, ECOPact® mixes may achieve carbon reductions beyond the minimum 30% qualification threshold.
ECOPact® with ECOCycle®
Lower carbon. Circularity inside.
ECOPact® can also combine lower-carbon concrete with Holcim's ECOCycle® circular technology.
ECOCycle® enables construction demolition materials to be used in new building solutions, helping reduce demand for virgin resources and keeping materials in circulation.
Qualifying ECOCycle® solutions contain a minimum 10% construction demolition material, while being designed to meet the performance requirements of their intended application.*
Lower carbon across our performance concrete portfolio
Holcim is also reducing the embodied carbon of selected specialist and performance concrete solutions.
Products carrying the ECO label meet the applicable Holcim qualification criteria for a minimum 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with the defined reference concrete.*
Agilia® ECO
Self-compacting concrete combining the placement benefits of Agilia® with a qualifying lower-carbon concrete mix.
Watertight® ECO
Specialist concrete for water-resisting structures, available in qualifying lower-carbon specifications.
Highpave® ECO
Performance concrete for pavement applications, available with a qualifying lower-carbon concrete mix.
Artevia® ECO
Architectural and decorative concrete available in qualifying lower-carbon specifications.
Transparency you can build on
Don't just ask how much carbon has been reduced. Ask how it has been measured.
Reliable embodied-carbon decisions depend on reliable data.
Holcim UK provides carbon information to help project teams understand the embodied carbon associated with the concrete they specify and use.
Our approach combines concrete expertise with product carbon data, Environmental Product Declarations and project reporting to give customers greater transparency throughout the construction process.
How ECOPact® low carbon concrete reduces embodied carbon
Concrete innovation where it matters
A significant proportion of the embodied carbon associated with concrete comes from its cementitious binder.
ECOPact® combines concrete mix design, supplementary cementitious materials and admixture technologies to reduce embodied carbon while achieving the technical performance required for the application.
Depending on the specification and locally available materials, this can include alternative cementitious combinations permitted by the relevant standards.
Our concrete specialists consider carbon reduction alongside:
Strength | Durability | Exposure | Workability | Setting time | Early strength | Placement | Programme
Looking for lower-carbon cement rather than ready-mix concrete?
Built around UK standards
More options for lower-carbon concrete specification
The evolution of UK concrete standards has expanded the range of cement and concrete combinations available to specifiers.
This creates greater opportunity to optimise concrete for embodied carbon alongside structural performance, durability, exposure conditions and construction requirements.
Holcim's specification and technical teams can help project teams understand the available options and identify appropriate concrete solutions for their application.
Talk to our specification team
Where can ECOPact® low carbon concrete be used?
From specification to supply
Carbon support throughout your project
01. Set your requirements
Tell us about your project's structural, durability, programme and embodied-carbon objectives.
02. Explore the options
Our technical teams can identify concrete specifications capable of meeting those requirements.
03. Compare carbon
Review appropriate product carbon data and alternative concrete options.
04. Specify
Build the agreed concrete performance and carbon requirements into the project specification.
05. Supply
Concrete is produced through our UK ready-mix network and delivered to the agreed project specification.
06. Report
Access available product and project carbon information to support ongoing carbon management and reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily. "Green concrete", "eco concrete", "eco-friendly concrete" and "sustainable concrete" are broad terms with no fixed definition, so they don't show how much carbon has been reduced or how it has been measured. ECOPact® is defined by a measurable standard instead: every qualifying mix delivers a minimum 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with a defined CEM I reference concrete of the same strength class.* Carbon offsets are not used to achieve this reduction.
ECOPact® is Holcim's range of low-carbon concrete. Every qualifying ECOPact® mix delivers a minimum 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with a defined reference concrete of the same strength class.*
The carbon performance of a qualifying ECOPact® mix is compared with a defined reference concrete in the same strength class using CEM I. The applicable reference data and carbon assessment methodology provide the basis for the comparison.*
No. Carbon offsets are not used to achieve the stated minimum 30% ECOPact® CO₂ reduction.
No. ECOPact® mixes must meet the technical requirements of their intended application. Concrete specification considers factors including strength, durability, workability, setting time, exposure conditions and construction requirements alongside embodied carbon.
Environmental Product Declarations and other product carbon information are available for qualifying mixes and locations. Availability varies, so speak to our team about the data available for your project.
Yes. ECOPact® can be designed for a wide range of structural and non-structural applications, subject to the required concrete specification, standards and local availability.
Selected Holcim performance concrete ranges are available in qualifying lower-carbon specifications and carry the ECO label where the applicable qualification criteria are met.
ECOPact® is available through Holcim's UK ready-mix concrete network. Individual mixes, achievable carbon reductions, constituent materials and supporting environmental data vary according to location and project specification. Contact our team to discuss your requirements.
No. ECOPact® reduces the embodied carbon of concrete rather than eliminating it. Qualifying mixes deliver a minimum 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with a defined CEM I reference concrete of the same strength class,* and carbon offsets are not used to achieve this.
Every project is different.
Our concrete specialists can help you explore how concrete specification can reduce embodied carbon while meeting the strength, durability, construction and programme requirements of your project.
Whether you are setting an early-stage carbon brief, developing a structural specification, tendering a project or preparing for construction, talk to us about the right ECOPact® solution.
ECOPact® carbon methodology
Qualifying ECOPact® concrete delivers a minimum 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions per m³ compared with a defined CEM I reference concrete of the same strength class. Carbon offsets are not used to achieve the stated ECOPact® reduction.
Actual carbon performance varies according to concrete specification, strength class, constituent materials, production location and project requirements. Product- and project-specific carbon information should be used where available.