Boral Develops Australia’s First Calcined Clay Low-Carbon Concrete
Next-generation concrete solution demonstrates strong performance in lab and field trials.
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Boral Limited has completed product development of an Australian-first low-carbon concrete incorporating locally sourced calcined clay, marking a significant milestone in sustainable construction materials.
Announced in Sydney on February 16, 2026, the new concrete solution represents a major step forward in reducing carbon emissions associated with cement and concrete production while supporting Australia’s infrastructure and construction sectors.
Extensive research and collaboration
The development follows extensive laboratory research and large-scale field trials, demonstrating the technical viability of calcined clay as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM).
The initiative builds on work launched in 2024 by Boral Limited in collaboration with:
- University of Technology Sydney
- Transport for NSW
- Calix
The project was supported by SmartCrete CRC, funded by industry partners and an Australian Commonwealth Government grant.
The program also builds on earlier studies conducted jointly by Boral and UTS between 2020 and 2024.
Successful trials confirm performance
The new calcined clay concrete formulations include binary-blend and triple-blend mixes, tested under real-world conditions at Boral’s cement operations in Maldon, New South Wales.
Results from these trials showed:
- Good workability during placement
- Comparable performance to conventional low-carbon concrete
- Suitability for large-scale production and infrastructure applications
The development phase also included customer trials conducted in partnership with Victoria’s North East Link project and University of Melbourne.
During these trials, Boral supplied a concrete mix used in a test slab constructed with clay recycled from excavated soil at the project site, demonstrating the potential for circular construction practices.
Advancing low-carbon construction
Vik Bansal, CEO and Managing Director of Boral Limited, said the achievement represents a key step in the company’s sustainability strategy.
“Boral is committed to leading the transition to a lower-carbon future. Our calcined clay concrete is a major step forward in our innovation journey and progress toward Net Zero. This work ensures we can continue to offer sustainable solutions for Australia’s building and infrastructure needs while meeting our customers’ expectations.”
Dr Ali Nezhad, Head of Sustainability and Innovation at Boral, added that the successful trials confirmed the technology’s practical viability.
“From the lab to successful field trials and product development, our work demonstrates that calcined clay concrete is not just a concept—it works at scale. Our field trials confirmed workability and placement, and the concrete looks and performs like conventional mixes.”
He noted that developing multiple blend formulations will help future-proof supply chains while supporting the construction industry’s decarbonisation goals.
Growing industry interest
Following the successful product development phase, Boral Limited reports increasing industry interest in trial collaborations and partnerships to explore the adoption of calcined clay concrete in upcoming infrastructure and construction projects.
The development highlights the growing role of innovative cement alternatives in helping the construction sector reduce emissions while maintaining performance and reliability.
Edited by an industrial journalist, Lekshman Ramdas, with AI assistance.
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