{"data":{"id":"sbm3784b24ba8cec64b07c6c","short_id":15,"created":"2025-08-28T02:55:11.272Z","space_id":"spc36e573d0a3f7d764ba5a0","project_id":"prj36e56fbec442ea80abc09","org_id":"org25a4efd179c5b5ba55d6e","content":{"name_ba03fa":"Stephanie  Bashir","submission_5bfc8c":"fil39549fdea032cb180305e","name-of-organisa_9974be":"Nexa Advisory"},"is_topic":false,"title":null,"count_replies":0,"closed":false,"reply_to_id":null,"last_activity":null,"reactions":{},"_files":{"fil39549fdea032cb180305e":{"id":"fil39549fdea032cb180305e","bucket":"files-au-climate","remote_path":"cca/p/prj36e56fbec442ea80abc09/submission/spc36e573d0a3f7d764ba5a0/SmartCreteCRC.ba0fea1b.pdf","url":"https://storage.googleapis.com/files-au-climate/cca/p/prj36e56fbec442ea80abc09/submission/spc36e573d0a3f7d764ba5a0/SmartCreteCRC.ba0fea1b.pdf","filename":"SmartCreteCRC.pdf","transcribed":"SmartCrete Cooperative Research Centre\n3 Innovation Road\nWallumattagal Campus\nMacquarie University NSW 2109\n\n29 August 2025\n\nThe Hon. Matt Kean\nChair\nClimate Change Authority\nResponse for the Minister’s 4th Annual Climate Change Statement to Parliament\n\nDear Mr Kean,\n\nResponding on behalf of SmartCrete CRC, our submission focuses predominantly on concrete.\nConcrete underpins the $270 billion building and construction sector, accounting for 8% of Australia’s\nGDP.\n\nConcrete is crucial to the delivery of many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), however its key ingredient, cement, is responsible for 6-8% of global CO2 emissions, a major contributor to climate change.\n\nTo sustain the growth of Australia’s industries and meet construction needs, Australia requires approximately 30 million cubic metres of concrete annually, a demand projected to rise with an estimated population increase to 30 million by 2030.\n\nCement sector emissions reported under the Safeguard Mechanism show a decrease in emissions from 5.6m tonnes of CO2e reported in the 2020-2021 year to 5.3m tonnes of CO2e in reporting year\n2022-2023. This represents a 6.6% reduction in emissions over this period. However, to achieve full sectoral net-zero emissions in line with the targets outlined in the Paris Agreement, Australia must accelerate its investment in decarbonisation action for the cement and concrete sector, focusing not only on innovation to support the technical pathways but also addressing critical market barriers to the adoption of lower carbon solutions.\n\nSmartCrete CRC’s research work to date on decarbonising the concrete supply chain has highlighted significant market barriers hindering progress throughout the concrete ecosystem which often counter potential gains from advancements in materials and engineering. There is a real need for additional government assistance to address those barriers. As a result of extensive sectoral engagement and the review of international decarbonisation initiatives, it has been identified that additional investment is required to expand on SmartCrete’s CRC work to address the technical and market barriers across the entire construction ecosystem.\n\nTo accelerate net-zero concrete construction, SmartCrete CRC proposes the establishment of\nConcrete Sustainability Alliance, a systems-based innovation investment scheme, working across the entire construction ecosystem to address both technical and market barriers to decarbonisation.\nSmartCrete CRC has identified the key market barriers as:\n\n• Supply chain complexity\n\n• Lack of sustainability-led procurement\n\n• Limited skills and knowledge transfer\n\n• Absence of shared carbon data systems and definitions for \"low-carbon concrete”\n\n• Need for harmonised legislation between state and territories\n\n• Increased innovation investment\n\nInnovation must be at the forefront of our efforts, however traditional R&D approaches focusing on technology outcomes often fall short in developing and delivering scalable solutions.\n\nWe must revolutionise our approach, adopting a systems-based framework that simultaneously tackles the technical, market, regulatory, and capability and skills barriers where they are encountered in the supply chain.\n\nGovernment has a clear opportunity to set the stage for substantial industrial transformation, and how it exercises its roles as a major procurer and regulator will be crucial in driving real decarbonisation outcomes.\n\nGovernment initiatives such as the Safeguard Transformation Program have made good progress in addressing specific challenges, but as we deepen our understanding of the decarbonisation task, it is essential that our innovation strategies also evolve. Our Concrete Sustainability Alliance proposal leverages the CRC’s research legacy and proposes a comprehensive systems-based framework with the capacity to catalyse sector-wide decarbonisation of the Australian concrete ecosystem.\n\nThis proposed program is a pioneering pilot for a new government-supported innovation model, designed to empower Australia’s economy to address strategic challenges.\n\nOutcomes of this initial program will position Australia as a leader in decarbonising heavy industries globally, serving as a case study for sustainable transformation.\n\nThe Key Objectives of our proposal are as follows:\n\nDecarbonisation of Concrete Supply Chain: Develop innovative solutions to reduce emissions across the concrete ecosystem.\n\n1. Support for National Emission Targets: Align with Australia's Paris Agreement commitments and net-zero goals.\n\n2. Strengthen Industry Capabilities: Enhance productivity, protect regional jobs, and future-proof the construction supply chain.\nThe Concrete Sustainability Alliance initiative demonstrates pathways to achieve objectives outlined within the Commonwealth Circular Economy Taskforce, as well as the objectives of the Future Made in Australia plan.\n\nDetails of the objectives, strategic programs, governance and impact can be found below. Our official proposal submission to Minister Bowen in October 2025 will request $108m in funding from the\nSafeguard Mechanism for a 4-year initial program of work. We believe this work should be independently governed to ensure transparency, but aligned with industry with international participation.\n\nFor further discussion or comment, please contact me or CEO Clare Tubolets.\n\nKind regards,\n\nHenrietta Tan\nHead of Strategy and Sustainability\nSmartCrete Cooperative Research Centre\n\nContact:\n\nHenrietta Tan\nHead of Strategy and Sustainability\n\nClare Tubolets\nChief Executive Officer\nConcrete\nSustainability\nAlliance\nSmarter Materials - Stronger Future\n\nProposal for Commonwealth Investment\nJuly 2025\n\nInitiated by SmartCrete Cooperative Research Centre\n2 Concrete Futures Australia 2025\nForeword\nAs we approach the mid-point of what the United Nations has described as the Decade of Action for the achievement of the world’s Sustainable Develop- ment Goals (SDGs), it is time to reassess our progress.\n\nConcrete is crucial to the delivery of many of the 17 SDGs and yet its key ingredient, cement, is responsible for 6-8% of global CO2 emissions, a major contribu- tor to climate change.\n\nSmartCrete CRC’s focus on decarbonising the concrete supply chain has highlighted significant market barriers hindering progress throughout the concrete ecosystem which often counter potential gains from advancements in materials and engineering.\n\nClearly innovation must be at the forefront of our efforts, however traditional R&D approaches focusing on technology outcomes, often fall short of developing and delivering scalable solutions.\n\nWe must revolutionise our approach, adopting a systems-based framework that simultaneously tackles the technical, market, regulatory, and capability and skills barriers where they are encountered in the supply chain.\n\nGovernment has a clear opportunity to set the stage for substantial industrial transformation, and how it exercises its roles as a major procurer and regulator will be crucial in driving real decarbonisation outcomes.\n\nGovernment initiatives such as the Safeguard Transformation Program have made good progress in addressing specific challenges, but as we deepen our\n\nI am pleased to introduce the Concrete Sustainability Alliance proposal, which leverages the CRC’s research legacy and pro- poses a comprehensive systems-based framework with the capacity to catalyse sector wide decarbonisation of the Austra- lian concrete ecosystem.\n\nThis program is a pioneering pilot for a new government-supported innovation model, designed to empower Australia’s economy to address strategic challenges.\n\nI believe that the outcomes of this pilot will position Australia as a leader in decarbonising heavy industries globally, serving as a case study for sustainable transformation.\n\nAO, Chair\nSmartCrete CRC\n\nConcrete Futures Australia 2025 3\nSeeking Commonwealth investment to tackle market and technical\nbarriers for a decarbonised concrete future.\nThrough industry-led innovation supported by Commonwealth investment, the Concrete\nSustainability Alliance will unlock and accelerate the decarbonisation of concrete\ninfrastructure in pursuit of Australia’s emission reduction targets.\nThe program will reinforce Australia’s critical concrete manufacturing and construction\ncapabilities which will enhance productivity, support infrastructure delivery, ease cost of\nliving pressure and protect regional jobs.\nIndustry driven, with impact-focused objectives, the Concrete Sustainability Alliance\nwill catalyse investment in technological change and market reform. This will create\nnext generation decarbonised concrete infrastructure for a resilient, sovereign net-zero\nAustralian economy.\n\nCopyright Statement\n© 2025SmartCrete CRC Ltd\nABN 24 607 527 49\nPublished: March 2025\ninfo@smartcretecrc.com.au\nsmartcretecrc.com.au\n\n4 Concrete Futures Australia 2025\nContents\n\nConcrete Construction in Australia 7\n\nPathways to Decarbonisation of Cement and Concrete 8\n\nConcrete Sustainability Alliance 10\n\nDecarbonisation Programs 11\n\nProgram 1. Getting the Numbers Right 12\n\nProgram 2. Next Generation Cement 13\n\nProgram 3. Carbon Smart Concrete 14\n\nProgram 4. Designing for Decarbonisation 15\n\nProgram 5. Powering the Transition 16\n\nDemonstration Projects 17\n\nStructure and Governance 18\n\nAlignment with Government Priorities 19\n\nInvestment Request 20\n\nTransition: SmartCrete CRC to 21\n\nConcrete Sustainability Alliance\n\nAt SmartCrete CRC, we acknowledge the\nTraditional Owners of the Lands on which we\nmeet and operate throughout Australia and\nrecognise their continuing connection to land,\nwaters and culture. We pay our respect to them\nand to Elders, past and present.\n\nConcrete Futures Australia 2025 5\nConcrete Sustainability Alliance\nBreaking barriers to drive critical decarbonisation of concrete construction\n\nMISSION Accelerating the transition to a decarbonised concrete construction sector\n\nPURPOSE Future-proofing the competitiveness of Australia’s construction supply chain and catalysing major\nsectoral emissions reduction through pioneering technical and market innovation\n\nPROGRAM 1 PROGRAM 2 PROGRAM 3 PROGRAM 4 PROGRAM 5\nSTRATEGIC PRIORITIES\nAND FOCUS AREAS Getting the Next Generation Carbon Smart Designing for Powering the\nNumbers Right Cement Concrete Decarbonisation Transition\n\nCOMMONWEALTH\nSeeking AU$108m for a 4-year Program Pilot (AU$27m per year)\nINVESTMENT\n\nDELIVERING ON Through direct industry leadership in the design of critical investigation areas and accelerate\nOUR PURPOSE pathways to sectoral sustainability\n\n6 Concrete Futures Australia 2025\nConcrete in Australia\nConcrete is vital to a resilient economy\nConcrete Construction Ecosystem\nConcrete (and cement, its key binding ingredient) is an essential\nbuilding material meeting Australian needs in everything from homes,\nschools, offices, transport networks and critical infrastructure.\n\nConcrete is fundamental to Australia’s economic prosperity, underpinning the $270\nbillion building and construction sector which accounts for 8% of the nation’s annual\nGDP.\nAs a key enabler of a resilient and sustainable built environment, concrete is the most\neffective and most used building material due to its strength, durability, low whole-of-life\ncarbon emissions, versatility, and accessibility.\nAustralia’s cement and concrete sector is valued at AU$19.9 billion, made up of\nAU$12.1 billion in the concrete services industry, AU$3.2 billion in concrete product\nmanufacturing and $4.6 billion in cement and lime manufacturing.\nTo sustain the growth of Australia’s industries and meet construction needs, Australia\nrequires approximately 30 million cubic metres of concrete annually, a demand\nprojected to rise with an estimated population increase to 30 million by 2030.\nMore than 80,000 people are indirectly employed and 30,000 directly employed\nacross the cement, concrete and aggregate sector, many of which are regionally based\nroles.\nThe construction sector plays a crucial role in addressing carbon emissions through\ninnovation in sustainable materials, design and construction. However, efforts\nto decarbonise have hit major barriers. Without significant, new pathways and 1\n\nimplementation, Australia will not meet emissions reduction aspirations.\nSignificant investment is being made to decarbonise infrastructure operational emissions\nthrough renewable energy adoption, passive heat management and other initiatives, but\nmajor market and technical barriers impede progress.\nGlobally, the building and construction sector is the largest sectoral emitter\nof greenhouse gases accounting for 37% of global emissions, 27% from\noperational emissions over the life of the infrastructure and 10% from materials\nand construction.\nThe cement and concrete industry is responsible for approximately 7% of\nglobal emissions.\n\n1. UN Environment Programme Concrete Futures Australia 2025 7\nPathways to Decarbonisation of Cement and Concrete\nProgress is stalling due to critical technical and market barriers\n\nDecarbonisation Pathways 2020-2050 In 2021, the Australian cement and concrete sector To support innovation towards concrete decarbonisation,\nannounced its commitment to produce net-zero SmartCrete Cooperative Research Centre was established\nconcrete by 2050. in 2020 to invest more than $83 million in research efforts to\nIn 2021, SmartCrete CRC in partnership with the peak industry address technical barriers to emissions reduction.\nbodies, Cement Industry Federation and Cement, Concrete SmartCrete CRC’s research portfolio includes 45 pioneering\nand Aggregates Australia, published a report mapping projects demonstrating step-change innovation in:\nDecarbonisation Pathways for the Australian Cement and new sustainable concrete mix designs,\nConcrete Sector.\nenhanced engineering solutions and\nThe report outlines eight decarbonisation pathways requiring\ninvestment, innovation and development. infrastructure asset management.\nProgress towards decarbonisation Innovations resulting from SmartCrete’s innovation portfolio\ninclude:\nAustralia’s cement and concrete manufacturers have made\nsignificant sustainability investments with progress across a New generation photonic sensors for remote asset\nnumber of these pathways including: condition assessment and early intervention maintenance\nincreasing cement substitutions, Low carbon concrete mix design incorporating novel\nsupplementary cementitious materials such as naturally\nincorporating alternative fuels, and\noccurring zeolite\ninnovative captured carbon use pathways.\nNovel phase change material to enhance photovoltaic\nCement sector emissions reported under the Safeguard performance of concrete solar roof tiles, and many more.\nMechanism show a decrease in emissions from 5.6m tonnes\nCritically, SmartCrete has established an extensive and\nof CO2e reported in the 2020-21 year to 5.3m tonnes of CO2e\nengaged network across Australia’s concrete ecosystem, with\nin reporting year 2022-23. This represents a 6.6% reduction\nSmartCrete technical and networking events routinely\nin emissions over the period.\nHowever, in order to achieve full sectoral net-zero emissions attracting 400+ participants, and more than 100\nin line with the targets outlined in the Paris Agreement, organisations actively collaborating within the SmartCrete\nAustralia must accelerate its investment in decarbonisation innovation portfolio.\naction for the cement and concrete sector focusing not SmartCrete has built a reputation for deep industry\nonly on innovation to support the technical pathways but engagement and collaboration, trusted program delivery\nalso addressing critical market barriers to adoption of lower and a unique ability to harness diverse participants towards\ncarbon solutions. collaborative sustainability driven objectives.\nThe established SmartCrete system is a valuable tool for\nthe Australian Government to continue to drive concrete\nconstruction decarbonisation.\n\n8 Concrete Futures Australia 2025\nMarket Barriers to Concrete Decarbonisation\nAddressing Systemic Challenges for a Sustainable Future\n\nBy facilitating translation and impact pathways for project outcomes, SmartCrete CRC identified a series of critical market barriers which are impeding the successful translation of Market barriers to concrete decarbonisation innovation outputs, slowing the adoption of new low-carbon\nSupply chain complexity The construction supply chain is highly complex. This limits sectoral agility products, processes and services.\nand speed to adopt low-carbon concrete solutions. Uneven risk management\nAdditional investment is required to expand on the throughout the supply chain is impeding progress, as there are no established initial work of the CRC and the sector at large to address risk-sharing frameworks and individual participants, especially SMEs, have limited technical and market barriers across the entire construction tools available to take ownership of shared risks.\necosystem.\nSustainability-led Differences in state and local procurement specifications create complexity\nThese are challenges that no single business can\nprocurement and inefficiency for material suppliers. Government needs to lead sustainable\naddress on their own.\nprocurement to establish market signals to accelerate decarbonisation.\nThey represent critical market barriers that require\nGovernment intervention to fund technical and market Skills and Training related to new products, processes, procurement requirements and initiatives and create evidence-based legislative instruments knowledge transfer standards is almost non-existent across the concrete construction supply chain, that drive decarbonisation. The SmartCrete CRC program with few programs for upskilling concrete tradespeople.\nhas served as a catalyst to this work, uncovering barriers\nNew generation Evidence of long-term performance of new materials requires evolution of and pathways to major sector-wide collaboration towards\nperformance testing accelerated aging testing protocols to provide validation of adequacy.\ndecarbonisation.\nIt’s time for next-generation action. Through facilitated, Shared carbon Lifecycle carbon data measurement systems continue to evolve, with a collaborative innovation, market and technical barriers can data systems requirement for consistency in data protocols.\nbe broken to fast-track a sustainable future.\nShared language There is currently no commonly agreed definition for “low carbon concrete” in\nAustralia. Shared language and taxonomy is required.\n\nLegislation facilitating Federal, state and local legislation, regulation and policies require harmonisation\nTo accelerate net-zero concrete construction, decarbonisation and continuous improvement through programmatic research-backed\nSmartCrete CRC proposes the establishment of evidence.\nConcrete Sustainability Alliance, a systems- Innovation investment Australia’s capital investment pool is limited, creating challenges in delivering\nbased innovation investment scheme, working innovation outcomes in a highly capital intensive sector. This leads to Australia\nacross the concrete ecosystem to address purchasing global innovations, rather than progressing home-grown innovation.\ntechnical and market barriers to decarbonisation.\n\nConcrete Futures Australia 2025 9\nConcrete Sustainability Alliance\nUniquely placed to facilitate a collaborative approach to decarbonisation\n\nBuilding on SmartCrete CRC’s unique ability to engage Program Delivery Framework the full concrete construction supply chain, the Concrete\nSustainability Alliance will foster sectoral innovation and collaboration to decarbonise concrete infrastructure for a Technical Innovation Pathways to Market resilient future. Leverage Australia’s innovation, research and capacity Strengthen Australia’s construction supply chain to adopt\nDelivering a systems-based framework will address critical to generate knowledge required to enable innovative sustainable concrete products and practices.\ntechnical and market barriers to achieve full concrete solutions to significantly decrease concrete sector • Connect and empower the supply chain infrastructure supply chain decarbonisation. emissions.\n• Enable sustainability-focused standards and relevant\nInvesting simultaneously in effort across four pillars – • Innovate and prove low-carbon cements building codes technical innovation, market pathways, policy and legislation • Innovate concrete mix design and capacity building – Concrete Sustainability Alliance will • Build the capability of Australian small to medium produce outcomes that accelerate market adoption for low- • Enhance and optimise engineering design enterprises carbon solutions and achieve measurable sectoral emissions and concrete use • Manage risk reduction.\n• Demonstration projects\nKey activities will include:\n• F acilitating sector-wide collaboration to identify and\naddress key challenges and opportunities to accelerate\ndecarbonisation\n• Delivering disruptive projects that decarbonise concrete Evidence-based Policy and Legislation Sectoral Capacity Building\nand maximise the reduction of carbon emissions within\nthe concrete ecosystem Generate evidence and a knowledge base to support Support a decarbonisation-ready workforce through\ninformed, impact-driven policy and legislation. dissemination of knowledge, as well as sectoral learning\n• Analysing and promoting economic drivers for low carbon and development.\nmarkets • Support evidence-based standards\n• Enhance government procurement policies • Knowledge sharing\n• Promoting sectoral capacity building through knowledge\nsharing, education and communication systems for a • Enhance quality assurance and third party audits • Training, education and development\nfuture-ready workforce • Provide evidence to support sustainability legislation • Carbon communication systems\nThe program has been designed with extensive industry, peak body, government, and research engagement to optimise sectoral collaboration and address market, technical and policy barriers in a coordinated impact-focused approach.\n\n10 Concrete Futures Australia 2025\nDecarbonisation Programs\nAddressing urgent and immediate priorities to accelerate de- carbonisation\n\nSmartCrete CRC proposes Commonwealth\nGovernment funding of $108 million for a Program 1\n4-year pilot of the Concrete Sustainability Getting the Numbers Right\nAlliance to address high priority market,\ntechnical, policy and training needs and\naccelerate sectoral decarbonisation in line\nwith national targets.\nProgram2\nThe Concrete Sustainability Alliance will comprise five Next Generation Cement decarbonisation programs, designed to address the most critical current focus areas to unlock pathways to rapid sectoral emissions reduction.\nThese initial programs have been developed following extensive sector engagement, and review of international decarbonisation initiatives and programs focusing on the Program 3 highest value, immediate priorities to facilitate rapid emissions Carbon Smart Concrete reduction.\nThe programs address the technical focus areas identified in the sectoral decarbonisation roadmap, as well as the critical market barriers identified in the delivery of the SmartCrete\nCRC program:\nProgram 4\nAnnual impact reviews over the life of the initiative will be used to assess the effectiveness and appropriateness of\nDesigning for Decarbonisation the programs, with agile adaptation as required to meet the evolving needs of the sector towards achieving net zero.\nExpert advisory panels with relevant supply chain, government and peak body representation will assess and inform the direct investments within each program, with Program 5 formal approval provided by the Concrete Sustainability Powering the Transition\nAlliance board.\n\nConcrete Futures Australia 2025 11\nProgram 1.\nGetting the Numbers Right\n\nExample Program Focus Areas:\nCarbon accounting is a complex and evolving\nfield aimed at supporting climate action Technical Innovation Pathways to Market\ndecision making and progress reporting. • D\nevelop clear guides, classifications and ratings for • E stablish acceptable and agreed classifications for “low-\nCurrent measurement systems lack full life- low-carbon products carbon” and “sustainable” materials\ncycle assessment methodologies, transparency,\nreliability and comparability. Challenges include • Establish and maintain a database of uniform, accurate • Trace supply chain material use to improve lifecycle\nand verifiable data emissions modeling\nbalancing accuracy, consistency, and certainty\nacross a complex supply chain. • Investigate innovative sensing technologies and AI to • Develop financial tools to incentivise low-carbon\nenhance accuracy of lifecycle emissions measurement materials selection by recognising energy and cost\nIntegrating carbon accounting into different pay-back periods\nfunctional areas across the infrastructure\necosystem is crucial for achieving corporate\nand climate policy goals. Implementing\ncomprehensive carbon management systems can\nlead to better carbon mitigation. Furthermore,\nthis program will investigate the economic\ndrivers of a carbon economy, reviewing cost\nimpediments associated with sustainable\nproducts and processes, and mapping the supply Evidence-based Policy and Legislation Sectoral Capacity Building\nchain impact of carbon pricing systems. • Analyse and report on the impact of green • Develop relevant data collection protocols\nThe Getting the Numbers Right program will certifications. Recommend pathways for mandatory • In partnership with ratings providers, implement user-\ndevelop more effective carbon management ratings programs centric design principles to support enhancement of\naccounting, reporting and communication • Evaluate and report on the impact of legislative emissions measurement and rating tools\nsystems and address challenges in incentives to facilitate sectoral emissions reduction • Develop and promote clear, transparent materials\nimplementation across a complex supply chain. • Advocate for mandatory third-party verification and labeling\ncertification of emissions • Increase education for students and professionals in\ncarbon measurement and reporting frameworks\nProposed Annual Budget\nDecarbonisation Program 1:\nAU$2.5m\n\n12 Concrete Futures Australia 2025\nProgram 2.\nNext Generation Cement\n\nExample Program Focus Areas:\nEnhancing cement and binder sustainability\nrequires technological innovations focused on\nimproving energy efficiency in high-temperature Technical Innovation Pathways to Market\nproduction and lowering clinker content in • D\nevelop cements with higher content of • Propose mitigation measures for CO2 emissions that\ncements. supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) like fly cannot be mitigated by conventional means\nash, ground granulated blast-furnace slag, calcined • Map geographic and economic availability of current\nInnovative approaches such as CO2 mineralisation clay and unburned limestone.\nand low-carbon cements have the potential to and future SCMs to report on market pathways for\ntransform the industry from a CO2 source into • Support development of alternate binder technologies cement substitution\na carbon sink. However, challenges such as • Further lower the clinker factor in cement • Proactively develop and implement rapid new product\ntechnological limitations, financing constraints, • Optimise cement design for carbon capture in assessment and adoption framework\nand the need for policy interventions and industry concrete and utilisation of marginal aggregates\ncollaboration remain. It is essential to support\nindustry’s investment in developing new low\nemissions binder systems by creating a framework\nfor rapid market acceptance and adoption.\nThe Next Generation Cement program will\ninvestigate pathways to reduce cement-based\ncarbon through innovative strategies, leveraging Evidence-based Policy and Legislation Sectoral Capacity Building\nglobal developments and investing in world\nleading Australian innovations. It will assess • Develop performance based product assessment • Develop standardised, sector-wide training and\neconomic drivers to ensure effective measurement criteria education on design, performance and acceptance\nand reporting of cement and binder emissions • Develop standards and application rules to reflect the criteria for sustainable cement and binder systems\nreduction, encouraging sector-wide adoption of benefits of CO2 efficient cements and enable their use • Promote greater sectoral understanding of design for\nlower carbon cement and binder products. in concrete durability concept in concrete structure standards\n• Extend the performance-based requirements in AS3600 and AS5100.5\nstandards, building codes and procurement policies\nfor cements and concrete\nProposed Annual Budget\nDecarbonisation Program 2:\nAU$4.0m\n\nConcrete Futures Australia 2025 13\nProgram 3.\nCarbon Smart Concrete\n\nExample Program Focus Areas:\nOptimisation of concrete mix design, using CO2\nefficient cements, supplementary cementitious Technical Innovation Pathways to Market\nmaterials, and innovative additives is a key\n• Improve the mix design and mixing technology for • Create market insights on embodied carbon in\npathway to reduce sectoral emissions. Critically,\nconcrete, e.g. packing density optimisation and concrete construction to create a market pull for low\nresearch, innovation and development is optimised use of admixtures CO2 concretes and whole lifecycle carbon assessment\nrequired to test the efficacy of new sustainable\nconcrete mixes, and implement risk-sharing and • Investigate strength, modulus and durability • Trace supply chain material use for effective whole\nmanagement frameworks to encourage adoption properties to determine the long-term viability of new lifecycle carbon assessment\nand existing concrete structures\nof demonstrated solutions. • Improve recovery and on-site sorting of materials to\n• Reduce volumes of fresh concrete waste enhance construction demolition waste management\nThe Carbon Smart Concrete program will deliver\ninnovative low carbon concrete mixes aligned • Develop new-generation reinforcement for structural\nwith Australia’s resource availability, along with enhancement and dematerialisation\nenhanced performance testing to demonstrate\nefficacy of new sustainable concrete products and\nencourage greater sectoral confidence and market\nadoption. It will also support the development\nof innovative concrete production processes to\nmaximise efficiency and minimise waste. Evidence-based Policy and Legislation Sectoral Capacity Building\n• Ensure the benefits of using SCMs in cement • D\nevelop application and usage guidance for low-\nand concrete are understood and reflected in carbon concrete products across the supply chain\nprocurement strategies • Develop guidance on design for controlled\n• Enhance standards and building codes to reflect the recarbonation\nbenefits of lower carbon concretes • Expand current training in ‘design for durability’ to\n• Develop an appropriate balance between ‘design for sustainability’\nperformance and prescriptive-based approaches in\nstandards and building codes to lower emissions from\nconcrete\nProposed Annual Budget\nDecarbonisation Program 3:\nAU$3.5m\n\n14 Concrete Futures Australia 2025\nProgram 4.\nDesigning for Decarbonisation\n\nExample Program Focus Areas:\nInfrastructure sustainability is significantly\ninfluenced by engineering and design efficiency Technical Innovation Pathways to Market\noffering significant opportunities to reduce • D\nrive innovation in structural optimisation to realise • Create demonstration projects for new design\nembodied carbon in the built environment. the same load bearing capacity with less material principles\nKey strategies include materials optimisation,\n• E nhance design life by designing structures which • Establish supply chain risk-sharing frameworks to\nsustainable design and construction, component optimise embodied carbon over a longer effective life accelerate adoption of new sustainable practices and\nre-use, using building materials as carbon sinks, products\nand increased use of sustainable products. • O\nptimise design for re-use/re-purpose through new\nproject level design principles which design modules • Establish financial modeling to highlight economic\nOpportunities to enhance efficient design and with planned re-use pathways impact of circular practices such as refurbishment and\nconstruction practices exist through Building renovation of existing concrete infrastructure\n• E nhance building information models to improving\nInformation Models analysis, sustainability-driven building design systems to incorporate carbon • In collaboration with established ratings\ncomputational models, and the establishment of data and allow sustainability decision providers, develop clear, transparent and\nlife cycle carbon assessment frameworks. support optimisation fair green certifications\nThe Designing for Decarbonisation program will\nreduce structural embodied carbon for Australian\ninfrastructure by promoting design of building\nand infrastructure that includes a clear focus Evidence-based Policy and Legislation Sectoral Capacity Building\non material efficiency, specifying lower carbon\nconcrete and improved construction technologies, • A\nccelerate the evaluation and development of • I mplement fundamental quality assurance in\nstandards to provide industry with common definitions construction with quality control and independent\nand ensuring structural optimisation that allows for\nand frameworks that help drive the uptake of third-party quality audit\nlifetime extension, repair and reuse.\nsustainable concrete • Develop and deliver guidance and training for carbon\n• Enhance performance-based building codes and efficient design and construction for all relevant\nstandards incorporating sustainability principles parties within the concrete construction supply chain\n• Push for harmonisation of standards and procurement • Provide sectoral advocacy for controlled\nspecifications across Australian states recarbonisation of concrete structures and post-use\ndemolition resources\nProposed Annual Budget\nDecarbonisation Program 4:\nAU$6.0m\n\nConcrete Futures Australia 2025 15\nProgram 5.\nPowering the Transition\n\nExample Program Focus Areas:\nTo fully decarbonise, the concrete construction\nsector relies on carbon intensive outputs from Technical Innovation Pathways to Market\nother sectors such as zero-emission electricity and\n• A\nssess and report on the efficacy of alternative fuels to • Analyse economic and logistical feasibility of\ntransport, alternative fuels and carbon capture,\nheat cement kilns. alternative fuels\nstorage and utilisation. Fuel-based heat required\nin cement kilns produces roughly 26% of cement • Assess emerging CCS and CCUS technologies. • Evaluate material availability in Australia’s complex and\nproduction emissions, with a further 12% from • Develop innovative energy efficiency measures – geographically dispersed construction sector\nelectricity use and 7% from transport. including artificial intelligence and sensors • Analyse economic value of captured carbon to create\nmarket pathways for carbon materials\nCarbon capture, storage and use will be crucial in\nmitigating CO2 emissions beyond conventional • Facilitate cross-sectoral engagement with other\nmeasures. Concrete Futures Australia will monitor industries to maximise energy and CCUS hub\nglobal carbon capture strategies and technologies to opportunities\nassess their efficacy and economy for reducing plant\nlevel CO2 emissions within Australia’s concrete supply\nchain.\nThe Powering the Transition program will\nmeasure and report on demand for low carbon\nenergy-related products, supporting government Evidence-based Policy and Legislation Sectoral Capacity Building\nregulatory mandates to encourage the adoption • Analyse and report on carbon pricing mechanisms to • Develop and coordinate sector-ratified transition\nof decarbonised infrastructure. Concrete facilitate supply chain costs associated with CCUS plans for fuel and electricity\nFutures Australia will collaborate with the energy • Review electricity infrastructure to support renewable • Direct advocacy with Australia’s cement sector on the\nand transport sectors to adopt lower-carbon adoption for heavy industries outcomes of economic and technical review of lower\nalternatives and will investigate and promote carbon electricity, fuel and carbon capture pathways\n• Support price competitive renewable supply\nsustainable technologies, alternative fuels and\nagreements • Engage with carbon measurement programs to\nefficient carbon capture solutions. incorporate emissions reductions through energy,\n• Report on demand signals and support government\nregulatory mandates to catalyse market adoption of transport and carbon capture\nProposed Annual Budget lower carbon energy and transport solutions\nDecarbonisation Program 5:\nAU$2.5m\n\n16 Concrete Futures Australia 2025\nDemonstration Projects\nEstablishing critical market confidence to accelerate adoption of low-carbon solutions\nObjectives\nThe concrete sector is capital-intensive, requiring Demonstrating Market Demand: Showcasing the\nmajor infrastructure for the manufacture need and potential market for low-carbon concrete\nof cement, batching of concrete, transport solutions to encourage widespread adoption.\nand application on building sites. The costs\nassociated with changes to established Commercially De-Risking Innovations: Reducing\nthe financial and operational risks associated with\nprocesses is a major inhibitor of innovation and\nnew concrete technologies to make them more at-\ntrial of new sustainable processes and products.\ntractive to investors and industry stakeholders.\nModeled on the UK’s Innovate UK Smart Grants\nand SBRI: Decarbonising Concrete Competition, Encouraging Investment: Stimulating financial\nthe Concrete Sustainability Alliance will provide support from both public and private sectors to fund\ndemonstration funding to projects that showcase the development and scaling of low-carbon concrete\nsustainable cement and concrete solutions to innovations.\naccelerate decarbonisation of concrete.\nAccelerating Adoption: Facilitating the swift\nGrants between $100k – $500k up to a total value integration of innovative concrete solutions into the\nof $4m per year will be offered to demonstrate market to achieve environmental benefits promptly.\nnew sustainable concrete solutions and accelerate\nmarket adoption. Projects must focus on\nengagement between solution provider and end\nusers.\nProjects will be reviewed by an independent\nreview panel with final approval provided by the\nConcrete Sustainability Alliance board.\n\nProposed Annual Budget\nDemonstration Projects:\nAU$4m\n\nImage: Contour3D\nConcrete Futures Australia 2025 17\nStructure and Governance\nAchieving excellence through effective governance and a dedication to quality\n\nMembers\nThe success of Concrete Sustainability Alliance hinges on pro-active\nengagement with the entire concrete ecosystem and the establishment of The construction supply chain is extensive and complex, involving thousands of individual\na robust governance structure that ensures transparent and accountable stakeholders, each playing a crucial role in delivering infrastructure within budget and on\nsector-wide collaboration. time. Members of the Concrete Sustainability Alliance will represent the entire concrete\nconstruction ecosystem, with membership opportunities available to both individual\ncompanies and industry representative bodies.\nThe Concrete Sustainability Alliance will be established as an independent company limited by guarantee, designed to engage and empower stakeholders in advancing decarbonised Board of Directors concrete infrastructure. It will operate as the central body responsible for managing the The Board will be populated by Directors that are both professional and eminent in their fields decarbonisation program, overseeing Commonwealth reporting, advocacy, communications, with extensive experience as a director in addition to expertise in relevant aspects of concrete and operational infrastructure while promoting the adoption of low-emission concrete manufacturing, construction, government funded program delivery, finance, and corporate\ngovernance.\nConcrete\ncrete Sustainability Alliance\nBoard Committees\nGovernance Structure\nGovern The Concrete Sustainability Alliance board of directors will be supported by three advisory\nBoard Committees committees, each designed to assist the board in effective governance and decision making.\nMembers Board • Finance, Audit and Risk Committee\nFinance, Audit and Risk\noffers guidance in terms of corporate governance responsibilities in relation to financial\nPeople and Governance management, accounting and financial controls, risk assessment and mitigation.\n\nKnowledge and Technology\n• People, Membership and Governance Committee\nassists with governance responsibilities in relation to Concrete Sustainability Alliance’s\nemployees, members and wider community of stakeholders.\n• Knowledge and Technology Committee\nDecarbonisation Program Committees provides strategic advice and governance in relation to available knowledge and\nOperations technology resources in support of sectoral decarbonisation.\nGetting the Numbers Right\nDecarbonisation Program Committees\nSustainable Cement and Binders\nThe Concrete Sustainabiltiy Alliance will create five decarbonisation program committees\nEfficient Concrete Products which will be populated from the organisation’s members and relevant subject matter experts\ndrawn from the sector.\nEfficient Design and Constcution\nThe committees will drive the strategic investment direction through qualified\nInfrastructure for Decarbonsied Concrete\nrecommendations to the CSA Board and a rigorous review process that ensures Concrete\nSustainability Alliance investments deliver on the strategic objectives of the program.\n\n18 Concrete Futures Australia 2025\nA World-Leading Program Delivering on Government Priorities\nAchieving Impact Through a Systems Approach\n\nConcrete Sustainability Alliance will deploy an innovative systems framework to decarbonise Australia’s concrete The Concrete Sustainability Alliance supply chain, focused on technical, market, policy directly supports the objectives of several and skills barriers simultaneously with full supply chain\nkey government policies and programs.\nengagement.\nPrimarily, the program is focused on\nThis holistic approach not only aims to transform the concrete sector but also holds significant potential to serve\ndriving emissions reduction for the as a blueprint for other heavy industries, such as steel and concrete sector towards the net-zero aluminium. target outlined in Australia’s nationally\nBy tackling the interdependent challenges across the entire determined contributions to the Paris supply chain, the initiative demonstrates a scalable model Agreement.\nfor achieving deep decarbonisation in industries that are traditionally considered hard to abate.\nThe Concrete Sustainability Alliance provides a pathway\nMoreover, the systems framework developed through to engage the full concrete supply chain and associated the Concrete Sustainability Alliance can provide valuable ecosystem to take meaningful action towards the objectives insights and lessons to the global cement and concrete of the Built Environment Sector Plan and the Transport and sector, positioning Australia as a leader in industrial Infrastructure Net Zero Roadmap.\ndecarbonisation.\nThe Concrete Sustainability Alliance will directly consult with\nBy fostering collaboration across industry, government, and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment research bodies, this program has the capacity to showcase and Water, the Department of Industry, Science and and export Australia’s innovation and commitment to Resources and the Climate Change Authority as the sectoral sustainability on the world stage. roadmaps are released to ensure the investment framework\ncontinues to drive progress towards the roadmap objectives.\nFurthermore, The Concrete Sustainability Alliance\ndemonstrates pathways to achieve objectives outlined within\nAs other nations seek effective pathways to\nthe Commonwealth Circular Economy Taskforce, as well\nreduce industrial emissions, the Concrete as the objectives of the Future Made in Australia plan. The\nSustainability Alliance can stand as a initiative will actively work towards sectoral decarbonisation\ncompelling case study of how targeted, through technical and market innovation while working\nsystemic interventions can drive meaningful to advance Australia’s sovereign capabilities by building a\nmarket and associated expertise for innovative, high quality,\nAustralian building materials.\n\nConcrete Futures Australia 2025 19\nInvestment Request\n\nThe proposed Annual Budget for each year of the pilot is as follows:\nCommencing in FY2026, the Commonwealth\nProgram Project Investment\nfunding requested for the 4-year pilot is\nAU$108 million or AU$27 million per year which Program 1: Getting the Numbers Right $2,500,000.00\nrepresents approximately 25% of the value of\nProgram 2: Next Generation Cement $4,000,000.00\ncarbon emitted by the cement sector based on\nthe 2024 Australian carbon credit unit (ACCU) Program 3: Carbon Smart Concrete $3,500,000.00\nprice. With a predicted increase in the ACCU\nprice anticipated to reach $60 ($mtCO2e) Program 4: Designing for Decarbonisation $6,000,000.00\nby 2030, the relative scale of the Concrete Program 5: Powering the Transition $2,500,000.00\nSustainability Alliance investment will decrease\nproportionate to the adjusted value of carbon Sub Total $18,500,000.00\nemitted. Pathways to Market\nGovernment funding is required to overcome Demonstration Projects $4,000,000.00\nmajor technical and market barriers to achieve\ndecarbonisation of the Australian concrete $4,000,000.00\nsector, establishing evidence based, aligned\nSectoral Capacity Building\npolicies, and driving supply chain collaboration.\nIn line with the progress established by the Knowledge Transfer and Sectoral Engagement $250,000.00\nSafeguard Transformation Program delivered\nIndustry Education and Capacity Building Program $500,000.00\nby ARENA, and the frameworks outlined in the\nsectoral net-zero roadmaps and Future Made Industry Publications $500,000.00\nin Australia policy, the Concrete Sustainability\nAlliance will facilitate net-zero action by Sub Total $1,250,000.00\naddressing the issues that matter for heavy Operational Budget\nindustries.\n(Salaries, Systems, Infrastructure) (12%)\nSub Total $3,250,000.00\nTOTAL Total $27,000,000.00\n\n20 Concrete Futures Australia 2025\nTransition\nSmartCrete CRC to Concrete Sustainability Alliance\n\nSmartcrete CRC is an independent, impact-focused Cooperative Research Centre that\nempowers innovation collaborations to transition concrete for a sustainable Australia.\n\nSince its inception in 2020, SmartCrete CRC has successfully SmartCrete CRC is due to complete in June 2027 leaving invested $83m of Commonwealth and industry funding in a void in support for the construction sector to innovate\n45 university-delivered R&D projects that spur sustainable towards net-zero construction materials. Establishing the design, use and management of concrete. Concrete Sustainability Alliance in FY2026 will facilitate a\nSmartCrete CRC’s strength lies in connecting Australia’s smooth transfer between the two organisations, ensuring concrete ecosystem, creating research opportunities and continuity of supply chain engagement and support.\nsetting up mutually beneficial partnerships that accelerate material change, develop new technologies and promote best practice to decarbonise concrete.\nBy collaborating with manufacturers, architects, engineers, developers, asset owners and government entities,\nSmartCrete CRC has established a robust network of over\n70 formal partners and more than 100 participants across the concrete supply chain. Passionate about decarbonising concrete, it acts as a catalyst for change, driving cross- Key contacts sectoral engagement to identify key industry priorities and share knowledge. Its highly qualified and experienced Clare Tubolets team, with technical know-how and expertise in portfolio CEO, SmartCrete CRC management, financial compliance and industry engagement capabilities, excels in addressing both technical and market Ken Slattery challenges. Strategic Advisor, SmartCrete CRC\nHaving driven the emission reduction agenda in the concrete sector, SmartCrete CRC is uniquely positioned to transition to Professor Elizabeth Taylor (AO) the Concrete Sustainability Alliance, scaling efforts to achieve Chair, SmartCrete CRC net zero in Australia’s cement and concrete industry.\n\nConcrete Futures Australia 2025 21","size":6181694,"redacted":[],"meta":{"name":"SmartCreteCRC.ba0fea1b.pdf","local_path":"files/qwoWnkNV803B9P1LiUVcMSKk.pdf"},"config":{}}}}}