Cutting Carbon with CCT2®: 58% CO₂e Savings on HS2
At Concrete Canvas Ltd, sustainability is at the core of our innovation. Our Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCMs) offer a proven, low-carbon alternative to conventional concrete, helping clients achieve their carbon reduction targets while maintaining durability and performance.
One recent project at the HS2 Banbury Road Realignment in Chipping Warden, England, demonstrated just how significant those savings can be.
In February 2024, 4,400m² of CCT2® was installed to line new drainage channels adjacent to the HS2 highway realignment. These channels were designed to manage high volumes of water runoff from the new infrastructure and surrounding farmland.
Originally specified to be lined with 150mm of poured concrete, the design was re-evaluated due to the high cost, complexity of installation, and environmental impact. CCT2® was selected instead, lowering carbon while delivering long-term erosion protection with much faster installation and reduced maintenance requirements.
To enable project specific quantification and comparisons, Ricardo Environment & Energy Ltd carried out a full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Concrete Canvas® products and created a model to enable comparison in using CC to replace traditional ST4 (20MPa) poured concrete for real world erosion control applications. Using the model, the HS2 Chipping Warden site specific data was used to determine the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CCT2® which was then compared against the originally specified 150mm of ST4 poured concrete, assuming both materials were sourced and transported under real-world conditions (with the CCT2® being transported 200km from the factory in South Wales, versus the ST4 concrete being sourced within 10km from the site).
The results show that CCT2® has just over 15.84kg of embodied carbon per square metre of channel, compared to 37.6kg of embodied carbon per square metre of channel for the ST4 concrete.
The UK Government’s ‘Construction 2025’ strategy set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment by 50%. Projects like HS2 Chipping Warden show how switching from traditional poured concrete to Concrete Canvas® can help clients, contractors and consultants achieve these ambitious goals.
By choosing CCT2®, the project team not only reduced carbon emissions but also delivered an erosion protection solution with BBA-certified durability of over 120 years.