Concrete New Zealand (NZ) has welcomed the Sustainable Steel Council’s newly released roadmap which outlines the steel industry’s pathway to net-zero emissions by 2050, as another positive step for the construction and infrastructure ecosystem.

Concrete NZ Chief Executive Rob Gaimster said the steel industry roadmap reflects growing alignment across the built environment on the importance of co-ordinated, long-term emissions reduction strategies, and commended the Sustainable Steel Council on taking this strong, positive step.

“It’s encouraging to see another key construction material industry articulate a clear pathway to net-zero. Achieving New Zealand’s climate goals will require contributions from across the entire value chain.”

Concrete NZ published its own cement and concrete industry roadmap in 2023 – A Net-Zero Carbon Concrete Industry for Aotearoa New Zealand: Roadmap to 2050 – setting out a comprehensive and measurable pathway aligned with both domestic and international commitments.

Gaimster pointed to how Concrete NZ’s Reinforcing Processors Group contributed to the steel industry roadmap through the Sustainable Steel Council’s stakeholder engagement process. This involvement reflects the interconnected nature of concrete and steel supply chains, particularly in reinforced concrete construction.

The steel and concrete industries play critical and complementary roles in delivering resilient, low-carbon infrastructure, from transport networks and water systems to energy and housing. For instance, the increasing availability of low-carbon, recycled steel reinforcing for use in structural concrete is a positive example of how cross-material innovation is helping to reduce construction emissions.

“This is not about one material versus another. It’s about ensuring the right material is used in the right application, supported by robust data, whole-of-life thinking and performance-based design,” highlights Gaimster.

“The cement and concrete roadmap outlines a practical transition, including reducing clinker content, increasing the use of supplementary cementitious materials, improving production efficiency and advancing carbon capture technologies.”

Gaimster said he is excited by Concrete NZ’s the soon to be released Transformation to a Low-Carbon Concrete Industry report, which translates the roadmap into practical action. It confirms decarbonisation is achievable and already underway, while identifying priorities including improving understanding of low-carbon concrete, strengthening supply data and providing clear specification guidance to support uptake.

Concrete NZ also noted the importance of consistent policy settings, materials-neutral procurement, and recognition of whole-of-life carbon performance to support informed decision-making across the construction sector.

“As more industry roadmaps emerge, the opportunity is to align efforts, share innovation and accelerate progress collectively.”

Concrete NZ looks forward to ongoing engagement with industry partners, including the Sustainable Steel Council, to support practical, scalable solutions that contribute to New Zealand’s transition to a low-emissions future.