In the UK, low-carbon concrete technology has been tested in precast concrete blocks as part of the Environmental Agency’s ‘Decarbonisation Technology Accelerator’. Material Evolution, the UK-based low-carbon cement innovator, has helped RPC Contracts cut carbon by 20%, while improving strength in its precast products using the MevoXL process (photo). More cement with PFA reduced the embodied carbon of the blocks by 20%, while increasing strength and without increasing the cost of the materials. The interlocking precast blocks are designed for a range of applications in the water sector including reservoir spillways. There is an estimated 100 million tons of legacy fly ash stockpiled in the UK, making it a good local replacement for cement.