CEMEX support sustainable development in Leeds

Company supplies Citu Climate Innovation District with low-carbon Vertua Classic concrete

CEMEX have supplied Vertua low-carbon concrete for a new office development in the Climate Innovation District in Leeds.

The Vertua Classic concrete, which offers a 30–50% CO2 reduction compared with a standard mix, has been used for the foundations of the three-storey building, which will be known as The Place and house sustainable property developer Citu’s UK head office, plus a new 15,000 sq ft office rental opportunity.

The new building will form an important part of the latest construction phase in the District, which is located at the heart of Leeds’ South Bank Regeneration scheme. This innovative project will help accelerate Leeds’ transition into a zero-carbon city and act as a transformative driver for sustainable development in the Yorkshire region.

The Climate Innovation District been designed around recognized key principles for creating sustainable places to live, focusing on promoting positive behaviours linked to transport, energy, housing and ecosystems.

CEMEX provided more than 70 cubic metres of Vertua Classic concrete from their Leeds ready-mixed concrete plant, the first time this facility has provided this product since it was launched.

Vertua Classic is said to be easy to use and place, making it suitable for a range of applications such as structural elements, foundations (including piling), light-to-heavy industrial floors and suspended slabs.

Vertua is part of CEMEX’s ambition to deliver net-zero CO2 concrete to all of their customers globally by 2050.

Tracey Carden, technical manager for ready-mixed concrete at CEMEX UK, commented: ‘We are very proud to have supplied our Vertua Classic concrete to the latest phase of work at Citu’s Climate Innovation District in Leeds, particularly as this will be their head office.

‘This is a development that prioritizes sustainable construction, making our low-carbon concrete the obvious choice for the office building foundations.’

Jonathan Wilson, development director at Citu, added: ‘The Place is holistically designed to create a zero-carbon workplace, as one part of a wider sustainable district. To achieve this, we’ve worked to reduce embodied carbon emissions at every stage – from building using structural timber to using Vertua Classic low-carbon concrete.

‘The low-carbon concrete mix allows us to achieve a large reduction in CO2 emissions from one of the materials that previously has been among the most difficult to decarbonize.

‘We believe progressive businesses value design-led, low-carbon workplaces set within a walkable environment to improve well-being. Vertua Classic helps us deliver this sustainable workplace, which will soon be home to both Citu and a forward-thinking business wishing to take advantage of this one-off opportunity.’