Now more so than ever before, eco-consciousness is shaping decisions across the construction industry. As the UK works towards its ambitious net zero goals, individuals and businesses alike are prioritising sustainability in the suppliers they choose to work with.

As a result, major changes are being driven throughout the construction industry. This includes materials and processes being re-engineered to minimise their environmental impact.

Nowhere is this more evident than with concrete.

Below, you can find out more about the latest innovations in the design and use of concrete, and how these are helping site managers across the country to dramatically improve their sustainability standards.

Jump to section:

• Why is concrete sustainability so important?
• How low carbon concrete supports net zero targets
• How to make concrete mixes more sustainable
• Recycled and sustainable aggregates

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Why is concrete sustainability so important?

Believe it or not, but concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world.

As a result, any sustainability gains that can be made in concrete’s design and construction will have a dramatic impact on global emissions.

What’s more, traditional concrete has always had a significant environmental footprint. In fact, global cement manufacturing accounts for around 8% of the world’s total CO2 emissions.

Improving the sustainability of concrete can help to address a major contributor to global emissions. This will prove key to achieving national and global climate targets.

Also, in areas like London, hitting a minimum sustainability has become a legal requirement for construction projects.

In London, the London Plan (2021) Policy SI2 outlines that every major development proposal must be accompanied by an energy assessment, outlining how carbon dioxide emissions reduction targets will be met. As a result, at least 35% of regulated CO2 emission reductions (against a Building Regulations Part L (2021) baseline) must be successfully made on-site.

Eco concrete will prove vital to reaching these ambitious targets, without compromising on strength or performance.

How low carbon concrete supports net zero targets for construction projects

Compared to traditional concrete, low carbon concrete is responsible for significantly less CO₂ emissions. In fact, at iMix Concrete, our eco concrete represents an over 50% reduction in CO2 (compared to conventional concrete).

With such significant emissions savings, substituting traditional concrete for eco concrete is an extremely effective way for commercial, residential and infrastructure projects to progress towards their net zero targets.

At the same time, eco concrete has exactly the same high standards of strength, durability and predictability as traditional concrete, with the same long predicted lifespan.

How to make concrete mixes more sustainable

Low carbon concrete is achieved in a number of ways, including:

• Using GGBS (Ground Granulated Blast‑furnace Slag)
• Reducing the amount of cement used
• Using low-carbon binders
• Incorporating recycled materials
• Opting for locally sourced materials, wherever possible (to reduce transport emissions)
• Using energy-efficient production and mixing methods (like our new plant)

At iMix Concrete, our batching plant in Essex is state-of-the-art, and using GGBS and sustainable batching methods, we have successfully achieved a decrease of over 50% CO2 emissions for our concrete mixes.

Thanks to our new plant, we can mix any strength and grade of concrete, with marginally lower CO2 emissions, without minimising the impact, or structure of the concrete itself.

Recycled and sustainable aggregates

In terms of volume, aggregates are the largest component of concrete. As a result, improving sustainability here has a major impact on the concrete’s emissions.

Recycled aggregates are made by using crushed concrete and demolition waste. This way, exactly the same performance standards can be achieved, without requiring virgin materials to be used. Plus, it also helps to divert waste from landfill.

This use case is driving increasingly efficient recycling systems, with many modern quarries having now developed closed-loop processes (their materials can be reused over and over again, through different applications).

At iMix Concrete, we are proud to be at the forefront of sustainable construction innovations.

We are constantly working to optimise the sustainability of our materials, to support our clients in the pursuit of their ambitious sustainability targets.

To find out more about our eco concrete, or to arrange for a delivery for your site, speak to iMix Concrete’s expert team.

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The post Support Net Zero Construction Targets with Low Carbon & Sustainable Concrete appeared first on iMix Concrete.

As a result, concrete features as the primary material in construction projects including everything from housing developments to retail centres, and multi-level office blocks, to industrial complexes.

At iMix Concrete, we specialise in the supply of premium quality, ready-mix concrete, trusted by commercial projects across London and the surrounding areas.

In this article, our team have shared their insights into how to estimate the amount of concrete required for commercial development projects.

How to determine the concrete required for a commercial development

Correctly estimating the amount of concrete that a project requires is critical, not only for budgeting, but also for ensuring accurate planning and timely workflows.

The volume of concrete that is required for a commercial development can vary, based on a number of key qualities:

• The type of building
• The size of the building (including the number of floors, if multi-storey)
• The design for the building’s foundations (whether they will be shallow or deep)
• The load requirements for the building
• The construction methods being used (for example, either in-situ casting or using precast elements)

^ a recent project we worked on

How concrete can be used in a commercial project

1. Foundations

The foundation design used for a commercial project can either be:

• Shallow – Commonly used for smaller commercial buildings, such as smaller offices or retail units. Usually, shallow foundations require hundreds of cubic metres of concrete.
• Deep – Used in larger commercial buildings, particularly multi-storey buildings. Typically, deep foundations can require thousands of cubic metres of concrete.

2. Floors and structural slabs

Concrete floor slabs are widely used in commercial spaces, particularly large open spaces. Then, in some multi-storey buildings, concrete floor slabs feature on every level.

A concrete floor slab is usually between 150-300mm thick (depending on load requirements).

3. Structural elements

The concrete structural features that are typically used in commercial projects include:

• Columns
• Beams
• Shear walls
• Cores

These significantly increase the overall concrete consumption of a build.

4. Construction method

• In-situ concrete – This involves pouring the concrete and setting it on site. This approach provides greater flexibility.
• Precast concrete – Involves pre-casting the concrete elements that are required in advance, and then bringing them to the site. This is an effective way to make the project run more efficiently.

^ our new batching plant in Essex!

Standard concrete volume estimates

Although these standard figures will vary based on the specific project’s context, concrete estimates for a typical commercial project are as follows.

At iMix Concrete, we are trusted concrete suppliers, supporting commercial projects across the UK.

We have supplied concrete to countless large-scale construction projects, and have established a long-standing reputation for the efficiency, dependability and flexibility of our services.

With our own fleet of state of the art delivery vehicles and a skilled team of fully qualified concrete experts, we can deliver concrete to commercial development sites throughout London.

To find out more about our services, or to enlist our team to support your upcoming project, contact iMix Concrete today.

Need Concrete for a Project?

Call for today’s best price on:
0808 196 7812

Order Now

The post How Much Concrete Is Required To Build A Commercial Development? appeared first on iMix Concrete.

This includes being the chosen concrete supplier of some of the UK’s biggest brands, including the likes of Balfour Beatty, Network Rail, Graham’s etc.

The iMix Concrete Essex depot is the company’s flagship location, and its main hub for operations across London and surrounding counties.

As a result, this depot has undergone extensive upgrades (starting in late 2024 and concluding Spring 2025).

Now, with a brand new, state of the art batching plant, iMix Concrete’s team can handle more orders, fulfil more daily capacity, and process orders faster than ever before.

The new batching area vastly reduces truck load times, so trucks are ready for delivery in only a few minutes. Improving load times 400%!

Our state-of-the-art equipment allows for any strength or grade or concrete to be mixed to order, with even more flexibility and project requirements.

With new technology and emission target, the new plant has decreased our carbon emissions, contributing significantly to our ongoing commitment to minimise our carbon footprint.

The History of iMix Concrete

iMix Concrete’s Essex depot first opened in 2016, with its convenient location chosen so that the team could easily cover London and the South East via all major highway links.

In the years since, iMix Concrete’s customer base has grown rapidly, with consistently increasing numbers of nationwide clients (both domestic and commercial), ordering everything from high strength concrete to fibre concrete and coloured concrete, various types of screeds and more.

iMix Concrete has also significantly expanded its services, with major changes including the introduction of its new eco (low carbon) concrete, which can reduce CO2 emissions of conventional concrete by up to 70%.

So, to cater to these ever-growing demands, iMix Concrete started the upgrade of its flagship Essex depot in 2024.

Our previous batching plant.

Our new batching plant!

Details of the New Essex Concrete Batching Plant

The recently upgraded, now fully operational batch plant has significantly increased iMix Concrete’s capacity to deliver.

In fact, the upgrades have more than doubled iMix Concrete’s capacity, from 400m3 per day, to over 800m3 per day.

The new plant also boasts various silos, allowing the team to create a multitude of different variations of mixes (be it different concrete varieties, or liquid screed).

Now, iMix Concrete can handle more orders, more daily capacity, and commit to faster processing times.

These extensive upgrades have allowed iMix Concrete to:

• Improve loading time by 400%
• Increase daily ready mixed output capacity from 250m3 to 800m3
• Introduce the very latest, state of the art equipment. This ensures tighter tolerances on mixes, resulting in even more accurate batching and higher quality concrete
• Continue investing in the latest technologies and digital systems, to provide a best in class service
• Expand its product range even further
• Reduce its dust pollution, wasted material and the mess created (which equates to lower maintenance costs and a reduced environmental impact)
• Vastly decrease its carbon emissions, contributing significantly to iMix Concrete’s ongoing commitment to minimise its carbon footprint

As a result, iMix Concrete’s team can cater to the largest projects across the region, ensuring a rapid and flexible service.

They are fully equipped to support a full scope of projects, including those that are time-sensitive, take place at night, or occur outside of regular working hours.

iMix Concrete now also provides concrete collections at its Essex depot. This is an ideal solution for requiring smaller quantities of concrete for projects, saving them both time and money. What’s more, these customers can place an order with iMix Concrete, and then collect it from the depot on the same day.

Whatever ready mix concrete strength or grade you require, iMix Concrete can supply premium quality concrete, directly to your site, with next day or even same day delivery options available.
get in touch with the iMix Concrete team.

Need Concrete for a Project?

Call for today’s best price on:
0808 196 7812

Order Now

The post New Concrete Batching Plant Launched in Essex appeared first on iMix Concrete.

We’re delighted to announce that iMix Concrete has recently joined the Flowing Screeds Association.

This comes as part of our ongoing commitment to securing the highest quality of service.

With our membership within this pioneering association, we can ensure that our methods and approaches continue to represent industry best practices.

We have always been proud of our innovative, sophisticated methods, and joining this association will help us continue solidifying this position into the future.

What is the Flowing Screeds Association?

The Flowing Screeds Association (FSA) was established with the aim of developing the standards and industry awareness of flowing screeds.

They believe that the best way to achieve this is by giving better support to screed installers, and improving their access to key information, resources, training and best practice insights.

As such, the FSA provides an unparalleled breadth of materials, to further education in this specific sphere.

The association offers:

• Training courses
• Classroom training
• Technical datasheets
• Plus a range of other materials

In a recent interview with the Contract Flooring Journal, Keith McGrath, FSA board member, explained that “Flowing screeds have many advantages for residential and commercial applications, being simple to install, quick to dry and ideal for underfloor heating systems.”

“We believe the way to promote the technique further is by offering training, to drive up skill levels in the sector and encourage more companies to get involved and more specifiers to see the benefits that flowing screeds can offer for their projects.”

What qualities are required for a company to join the Flowing Screed Association?

The FSA are working with a growing body of manufacturers, producers, contractors and applicators across the UK and Ireland. And, with founding members including Cemfloor, LKAB, Anhydritec and Longfloor, the FSA has already secured an impressive standing within the industry.

iMix Concrete have joined the FSA as Screed Producers. As part of this membership, we will continue to evolve our processes and services, in accordance with the very latest industry developments.

If you’d like to learn more about our range of flowing screed supply and installation services, or to enlist our team to support your upcoming project, the iMix Concrete team is on hand to help.

Order Now

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Do your research

Research is crucial to choosing the right concrete contractor. Draw up a list of the contractors that serve your area, then have a look into each one to see how they fare against your criteria. A good way to judge their worthiness is to look at online reviews; they’re often a reliable source of honest feedback – if there are lots of reviews praising their work, then they could well be the right fit for you.

Other things to check:

– How long they’ve been in the business

– The services they offer

– Their accreditations

– Their insurance coverage

Shop around

Make sure you have a clear idea of the options available to you before you make your final choice. If contractors on your list offer free quotations, make sure to take advantage of that and see how much they’d be looking to charge for the work you require. While price may not be all and end all, you don’t want to be paying over the odds for work another company could do at the same standard for a better price.

Are they insured?

Any contractor you choose for your site must have sufficient insurance. Liabilities in construction can equate to staggering sums of money, and you don’t want to be left to foot an enormous bill if your uninsured contractor is involved in an accident at your site. Look for general liability coverage, automobile insurance and Workman’s Compensation. Ask the contractor for their policies and providers, and corroborate these with the insurers themselves; be sure to check when their policies are active, too.

By being diligent and taking your time to find the right concrete contractor, you can potentially save yourself time, money, and hassle further down the line. You’ll be grateful for the time taken to research when your chosen concrete contractor provides a high quality service that meets all your needs.

iMix are proud to be a leading supplier of concrete services for customers throughout Romford, Chelmsford, Essex and the wider London area. For more information about the work we do, please get in touch with us today or fill in our handy contact form and we’ll be more than happy to help you with anything you may need.

The post How to Choose the Best Concrete Contractor in London appeared first on iMix Concrete.

The show featured police officer Kris Aves, 35, who suffered life-changing injuries in the Westminster terror attacks. His injuries confined him to a wheelchair, which meant that his house became inaccessible to him. DIY SOS teamed up with companies from around the area to adapt and transform his home to cater for his newfound situation.

To find out more about the concrete services we offer across London and surrounding areas contact our friendly team today by calling 0800 030 9015 or using our handy contact form

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Check back here regularly to have a read through the latest posts we’ve been sharing – in the meantime, have a browse through our website to find out more about our services!

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