64 | CONSTRUCTION Higgins Concrete T T Karen Phelps Reducing carbon in concrete Founded in Palmerston North in 1976, Higgins Concrete operates across the North Island and upper South Island, supplying projects ranging from residential driveways to nationally significant infrastructure. www.capturesigns.co.nz Contact us now to discuss how our professional and wide ranging expertise can help you achieve financial and business success. It’s more than just numbers. Craig Purdy: craig@stuarts.co.nz or Aimee Gray: aimee@stuarts.co.nz Stuarts takes you and your business into account. 633 Main Street, Palmerston North 4440 TELEPHONE 06 356 6337 EMAIL admin@stuarts.co.nz WEB www.stuarts.co.nz UNDERCARRIAGE REBUILD ENGINEERING/FABRICATION HYDRAULIC HOSING WORKSHOP FIELD SERVICE 447 Rangitikei Line, Palmerston North 027 449 1605 www.machineryspecialists.co.nz “Concrete is already one of the most widely recycled construction products, and we are incorporating recycled inputs into new mixes where possible.” As New Zealand’s construction sector sharpens its focus on reducing emissions, concrete producers are playing a pivotal role in shifting materials towards a more sustainable future. According to Mike Botherway, Higgins Concrete general manager, central to this is the recognition that cement – the binding ingredient in concrete – accounts for the vast majority of the material’s carbon footprint. “The industry is aligning with the Global Cement and Concrete Association’s target of net zero carbon by 2050, with local bodies such as Concrete New Zealand developing frameworks to guide that transition,” he says. One of the key tools available to reduce emissions is the use of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs), which partially replace traditional cement in a mix. Mike says this means producers can significantly lower the kilograms of carbon dioxide emitted per cubic metre of concrete, without compromising end performance. At Higgins Concrete, this approach underpins its SustainEcrete range, which offers project-specific mixes designed to meet targeted reductions in Global Warming Potential (GWP). Mike says these tailored solutions are increasingly being specified in large commercial and infrastructure developments, where sustainability benchmarks are becoming standard practice. “Certainly, there has been a significant uptake in discussions around this on large- scale commercial and infrastructure projects over the last two years,” he says. “It’s a slow trend upwards. Everybody is aware of the need to change. We have a technical team that is able to develop mixes for a project. “We are here and available and well resourced, we have exceptional expertise, and the ability to provide solutions for any customers’ needs.” Mike says transparency is also becoming a critical part of the industry’s evolution. Higgins Concrete has developed Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for its concrete and aggregates, providing independently verified data on environmental impacts across a product’s lifecycle. He says these documents are helping designers, contractors, and clients make more informed decisions as sustainability reporting becomes more rigorous. Alongside reducing embodied carbon, Higgins Concrete is also exploring circular approaches to materials. “Concrete is already one of the most widely recycled construction products, and Higgins Concrete is incorporating recycled inputs into new mixes where possible,” says Mike. “A recent example includes work with Palmerston North City Council on a community basketball court, where a specialised mix incorporated recycled concrete, glass and plastic alongside SCMs to achieve a low GWP outcome. Such projects highlight how waste streams can be redirected into valuable construction materials, reducing both landfill and emissions.” This combination of technical innovation, material substitution and lifecycle transparency reflects a broader industry shift. “While the path to decarbonisation is complex, particularly given concrete’s essential role in infrastructure and housing, incremental improvements across thousands of projects are expected to deliver meaningful change over time.” Higgins Concrete, a long-established, family-owned business, was founded in Palmerston North in 1976. It operates across the North Island and upper South Island, supplying projects ranging from residential driveways to nationally significant infrastructure. Mike says that as Higgins Concrete marks its 50th anniversary this year, its evolution mirrors that of the wider sector, grounded in traditional strengths of reliability and scale, yet increasingly defined by its response to environmental challenges. “With demand for lower-carbon construction solutions continuing to grow, it is clear that suppliers and producers will remain central to shaping a more sustainable built environment for New Zealand.”
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