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Early adopters play a crucial role in determining how well new and innovative technologies spread and are accepted across an industry.
With net zero deadlines approaching and regulation around emissions reductions ramping up, first-movers and early adopters are vital for scaling decarbonisation solutions and green technologies.
The built environment is the largest source of climate emissions after surface transport.1 This means those in the road sector must decarbonise from both a road user perspective as well as an infrastructure construction perspective.
Below are six examples of early adopters leading the way and incorporating our innovative decarbonisation solution for asphalt, ACLA®, in road resurfacing projects up and down the country.
Durham County Council
Durham County Council (DCC) was the first local council to adopt ACLA® in a live road project, working with MGL Group to lay a net-zero binder course asphalt at Elvet Hill Road.
Throughout 2024, the council worked with us numerous times, incorporating our carbon-negative aggregate for asphalt into road works on Westlea Road in Seaham, North Road in Durham City Centre and Front Street, Sunniside.
As a County Durham-based business, it was incredibly rewarding to see our technology being used by forward-thinking partners to make a difference within our own community.
Redbridge Council
The first London borough to incorporate our innovative decarbonisation solution was Redbridge Council, in partnership with Kenson Highways and Tarmac.
With the adoption of a simple and scalable solution, Redbridge Council was able to ensure that the entire middle layer of the new road at Lodge Hill Road was net zero.
This pioneering use of ACLA® demonstrated to key industry partners what's possible in delivering greener roads.
National Highways
In a huge act of recognition, National Highways, the government company responsible for operating, maintaining, and improving England's motorways and major A roads, piloted ACLA® on the M11.
In partnership with other industry leaders, Tarmac and Skanska, ACLA® was thoroughly tested against highway specifications and successfully trialled on the Strategic Road Network.
Such significant early adoption not only proved the success of ACLA® in real conditions on a heavily trafficked motorway but also signalled clearly the possibility of rapidly developing and trialling new innovations.
Redcar & Cleveland Council
Early adopter Redcar & Cleveland Council used ACLA® in a resurfacing project on the A171.
This was another milestone in the scaling-up of our innovative decarbonisation solution, as ACLA® was integrated into an A road for the first time.
This project also featured another partnership with Tarmac, indicating the continued success of our solution for maintaining road infrastructure while supporting environmental sustainability.
Central Bedfordshire Council
In partnership with Breedon and Milestone Infrastructure, Central Bedfordshire Council was another pioneering user of ACLA®.
This project marked an important opportunity to secure partnerships with an entirely new set of companies at the forefront of sustainable road construction.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
A lower carbon road resurfacing project in Goole saw ACLA® used by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Lane Rental and Tarmac.
After the successful project, the council plans to use more carbon-saving materials in future schemes as part of their Climate Change Strategy.
The importance of decarbonising road infrastructure and who is responsible.
Roads and cars are an integral part of our transport system, with 88% of journeys being made by cars, vans, and taxis in the UK.2
Road materials must play a significant part in decarbonisation plans as they contribute to 40% of the total carbon emissions of the highways sector.3
In fact, asphalt is a major area for action since asphalt roads account for over 95% of all UK roads, resulting in 25 million tonnes of asphalt being produced annually.4
Local authorities are vital for deploying decarbonisation solutions in the sector since local authority-managed roads make up 98% of road length in the UK.5
Since two-thirds of councils in England aim to be net zero by 2030, many local authorities are already exercising their eagerness to decarbonise road construction and maintenance.6
As one of the UK’s largest buyers of construction materials, National Highways has its own ‘Net Zero Highways Plan’ to achieve net zero operations by 2030, maintenance and construction by 2040 and travel on roads by 2050.7 These targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Low Carbon Materials’ simple and scalable way to decarbonise road networks
ACLA® is our carbon-negative aggregate, specifically designed to lower the carbon footprint of asphalt.
Utilising the carbon removal technology of sequestration, ACLA® can permanently remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It is a 'drop-in' solution that requires very minimal changes to existing asphalt production methods.
With a diverse range of asphalt applications, ACLA® can be used on roads, footpaths, cycle paths and more.
Learn more about the use of ACLA® in live projects via our case studies here.
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1. (UKGBC, 2023).
2. (Transport Statistics Great Britain: 2022).
3. (Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads, 2024).
4. (Asphalt Industry Alliance, 2021).
5. (House of Commons Library, 2024).
6. (Local Government Association, 2021).
