Industry stakeholders have welcomed Australia’s adoption of the low-carbon cement ratings from the Global Cement and Concrete Association.
Australia’s adoption of low-carbon cement ratings from the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has been praised by key stakeholders.
In December, Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) hosted the launch for the “landmark” adoption of the low-carbon and near-zero carbon concrete, which brought the GCCA’s framework into an Australian context.
“Until now, different organisations have approached low-carbon concrete in different ways. This adoption creates a common reference point that the entire supply chain can use,” CCAA chief executive officer Michael Kilgariff said.
“It provides clarity about how concrete is performing from a carbon perspective and supports more consistent decision-making on projects.
“We’ve taken a strong global framework and made sure it works for Australia. The extended strength range, alignment with local data and straightforward table format mean the ratings can be used immediately by both government and industry.
“This guide is another practical tool that supports those goals and helps project teams make clearer, more consistent decisions about the carbon performance of concrete.”
The Australian framework provides a new guide for industry professionals who want to assess the carbon performance of concrete by using an AA-G ratings system. The system goes beyond the GCCA’s initial ratings by considering a broader range of strengths across the Australian infrastructure and construction sectors.
The GCCA launched its ratings system for low-carbon concrete and cement in April 2025 to standardise and increase transparency for stakeholders seeking to procure sustainable cement and concrete.
Under the GCCA’s framework, purchasers, including builders, architects, governments, planners, and consumers, can identify concrete and cement products based on their carbon footprint rating.
“Cement and concrete are the foundations of modern life – from the buildings we live and work in, to the roads we travel, and the infrastructure that supports clean water and green energy. As global demand for sustainable construction grows, the need for greater transparency around the carbon footprint of construction materials is more critical than ever,” GCCA chief executive Thomas Guillot said at the time.
“Our low carbon ratings system supports more sustainable procurement practices and will empower the entire value chain to accelerate decarbonisation.
“With this rating system in place, governments, policymakers and the private sector can now prioritise lower carbon cement and concrete in the procurement process which will in turn further stimulate the industry’s focus on decarbonising these essential building materials.”
Both the GCCA’s concrete ratings, and the Australian adoption, classify the material based on global warming potential (GWP) and the specified concrete strength. Regarding these two metrics, the GWP is measured in kilograms of CO2e per cubic metre, while the strength rating assumes that higher concrete strength implies more cement used and higher emissions as a result.
The AA rating under the framework indicates near-zero emissions, in line with a 2050 net-zero target, with A to F ratings divided into intervals based on GWP and specified concrete cylinder strength (MPa). The GCCA’s framework ranged from 20 to 50MPa, with the Australian adaptation covering 5 to 100MPa. This ensures the Australian framework is aligned with local grade strengths, such as 32MPa. It is designed for use with third-party-verified EPD data, covering the emissions scope from A1 to A3 and compliant with ECO platform verification guidelines.
To create the adaptation, the CCAA worked with the GCCA and the Materials and Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (MECLA), using local environmental product declaration (EPD) data as well.
Cement Australia national technical manager Matthew Kerley said a rigorous, data-driven approach supported the Australian framework.
“We overlayed all of the Australian EPD data, and when we looked at the median EPD values, we saw a very strong correlation with the GCCA’s 20 to 50MPa bands, which, for us, validated the GCCA model,” he said.
“Once we knew we had a good correlation between our EPD data and the GCCA’s, we decided to extend that out to 100MPa. This involved a lot of collaboration; we got feedback from the GCCA, we looked at the UK models that are already out there and engaged with MECLA.
“While we wanted to use our local EPD data and have this framework built for Australia, we also wanted to ensure this was practical. It is important to ensure that it is a consistent ratings system that could be used in the future.
“This process meant [the final result] was a data-driven but practical approach.”
Kerley said he was excited to see the framework be used within the sector.
“The aim is that this framework will be the basis for things like reporting and procurement. Getting a consistent language around these ratings is a first step,” he said.
The expanded strength range is something the GCCA could consider adopting into its concrete framework in the future, according to GCCA concrete and sustainable construction director Andrew Minson.
“[Australia] has taken the lead on widening the strength range. The strength of [Australia’s] EPD data means we think we’ve got a good foundation to now pick up what’s been done in this framework and adopt it into our global framework,” he said at the launch of the ratings,” he said.
“We’re delighted to have the strength of data [Australia] has and the thoroughness that the [CCAA] has used to justify this range, and we’ll be having a conversation now about extending our global ranges.”
Kilgariff said the Australian framework was a milestone achievement for the sector.
“This is an important milestone for our sector, one that will help drive lower-carbon outcomes across Australia’s infrastructure pipeline by supporting the procurement pull-through needed to scale lower-carbon concrete solutions, and in turn help deliver a more sustainable built environment into the future,” he said.
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