Laing O’Rourke has become the first construction company in Australia to establish a maximum tolerance for carbon emissions embodied in the concrete products it purchases — both directly and through subcontractors.
This commitment, aimed at reducing the company’s environmental footprint, will apply to all public infrastructure projects and private works undertaken by Laing O’Rourke.
The decision comes as part of the company’s broader sustainability efforts, with a focus on reducing demand for high-emissions concrete.
Laing O’Rourke General Manager of Sustainability and Environment Hollie Hynes stated: “We are setting a limit to the embodied emissions that we will accept in our concrete mixes because this material will have one of the greatest impacts on our journey to net zero. If we get concrete right, we will go a long way towards achieving our sustainability goals.”
Under the new policy, carbon emissions incurred during the manufacture of materials will be counted towards the buyer’s footprint as Scope 3 emissions.
For Laing O’Rourke, Scope 3 emissions represent approximately 95 per cent of its overall emissions, highlighting the importance of addressing these emissions in the construction industry.
The company’s carbon limits for concrete products will be adopted as a minimum requirement on all new projects where Laing O’Rourke has operational ownership.
Current industry practice typically focuses on technical requirements like strength and durability, with carbon emissions not being a significant consideration.
The company’s move marks a shift towards a more sustainable approach in concrete procurement.
Furthermore, Laing O’Rourke has developed a definition for ‘low carbon concrete,’ based on a specified embodied carbon limit for different concrete strength grades.
This definition provides a benchmark for the company’s projects to set targets against, encouraging the use of low-carbon concrete where feasible.
Laing O’Rourke Low Carbon Materials Lead Monica Hanus-Smith explained: “Our proposed definition for ‘low carbon concrete’ is stricter than our maximum tolerance for emissions and was developed by accounting for what is available in the market.
“The use of low carbon concrete on projects is feasible and results in a significant reduction in emissions.”
