Concrete Sustainability Alliance seeks Commonwealth investment to accelerate decarbonisation of Australia’s concrete sector

SmartCrete CRC has lodged a Pre‑Budget Submission for the 2026–27 Federal Budget on behalf of the Concrete Sustainability Alliance, requesting $27 million per year in Commonwealth funding over four years. The proposed program addresses systemic barriers to decarbonisation filling a void in innovation coordination to accelerate net zero at scale for Australia’s concrete construction sector.

A new approach to decarbonising concrete

Concrete underpins Australia’s built environment but remains one of the most carbon‑intensive materials. While low‑carbon technologies and materials have been developed, their adoption at scale remains limited.

“Without government intervention, Australia risks higher construction costs, greater reliance on offsets, and dependence on imported materials to meet net‑zero targets. Smart, targeted policy can unlock domestic innovation, protect competitiveness, and cut emissions at the same time,” says SmartCrete CRC CEO Clare Tubolets.

“The challenge is no longer about technology—it’s about market failure. Without coordination and market system innovation to de‑risk investment and create demand through policy and procurement, low‑carbon solutions will remain stranded despite being technically ready.”

The role of SmartCrete CRC

SmartCrete CRC is Australia’s leading innovation program focused on reducing emissions from concrete. Through its work with industry and researchers, SmartCrete has identified significant systemic barriers—such as fragmented regulation, limited data, and skill gaps—that prevent the adoption of new technologies at scale.

“SmartCrete CRC’s focus on decarbonising the concrete supply chain has highlighted deep‑rooted market barriers countering potential gains from advances in materials and engineering,” says SmartCrete CRC Chair EmProf Elizabeth Taylor AO.

Introducing the Concrete Sustainability Alliance

To overcome these barriers, SmartCrete CRC proposes the establishment of the Concrete Sustainability Alliance (CSA)—a world‑first, systems‑based innovation program designed to accelerate large‑scale adoption of emissions‑reduction solutions.

“The Concrete Sustainability Alliance leverages the CRC’s research legacy and proposes a comprehensive, systems‑based framework capable of catalysing sector‑wide decarbonisation of the Australian concrete ecosystem,” Prof Taylor says.

The CSA will unite the entire supply chain—manufacturers, designers, builders, regulators, and policymakers—to collaborate on practical solutions. It will support evidence‑based policy reform, deliver targeted training and skills programs, and enable knowledge sharing to help Australia’s concrete industry transition to low‑carbon production at scale.

A proposal backed by industry

“What really shaped the development of the CSA proposal was the level of commitment across the industry to making real progress on decarbonising the concrete ecosystem—and the recognition that a narrow technology focus alone won’t succeed,” says SmartCrete CRC Strategic Advisor Ken Slattery.

“Across the supply chain, there’s now a shared understanding that meaningful progress requires cooperation from every stakeholder—and the time to act is now.”

“We’d like to thank the wider concrete industry for its strong support for creating an independent and trusted organisation such as the Concrete Sustainability Alliance to ensure barriers to decarbonisation are addressed credibly and effectively, for the benefit of the built environment as a whole.”

Learn more

For more information on the Concrete Sustainability Alliance, visit the website.

To read the full Pre-Budget Submission, click here.