Concrete Giants Net-Zero Scorecard
Cement still pours out roughly 7 % of global CO₂. Ambitious targets abound, yet investors and specifiers now comb sustainability reports for hard cuts per tonne, not headline vows. We parsed the latest public data to see which of the three biggest producers—Heidelberg Materials, CRH, and Holcim—are actually bending the emissions curve and backing it up with transparent Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
Why cement’s baseline matters
A one-percent drop in clinker emissions equals the annual footprint of a midsize city. Life-cycle assessments (LCAs) and cradle-to-gate EPDs translate those drops into numbers architects can plug straight into bid software. If intensity stalls, so do specs.
How we scored the field
- Net-specific CO₂ per tonne of cementitious material in 2024.
- Year-on-year reduction trend since 2021.
- Volume of published, third-party-verified EPDs.
- Capital committed to carbon-capture or low-clinker tech that is already breaking ground.
Heidelberg Materials: CCS goes commercial
Brevik’s carbon-capture line is up, trapping 400 000 t of CO₂ a year and feeding evoZero, the first net-zero cement that customers can actually order (Reuters, 2025). Company-wide intensity fell to 527 kg CO₂/t in 2024, a 6 % cut on top of 2023 (Heidelberg Materials, 2025). Strategy 2030 pegs sub-400 kg by the end of the decade. EPD output is smaller than Holcim’s but growing fast thanks to a US-EPA-funded digital tool (EPA Grant, 2024).
CRH: Quiet efficiency pays off
Dublin-based CRH sliced intensity to 537 kg CO₂/t in 2024, down from 562 kg in 2023, and has trimmed absolute Scope 1+2 emissions 17 % since 2021 (CRH 20-F, 2025). The $2.1 bn Eco Material buy brings a national fly-ash network that should slash clinker factor across North America (Reuters, 2025). CRH discloses few EPD counts, yet pilot projects in Texas and Colorado show plant-wide tools rolling out. Capital spend on decarbonisation now averages $150 m a year.
Holcim: EPD powerhouse, emission laggard
Holcim leads the transparency race with 3 000+ EPDs in 24 countries (Holcim, 2025). Still, its 2023 intensity sat at 562 kg CO₂/t—better than a decade ago but behind its two rivals (Climate Report, 2023). The Swiss group aims for 8 Mt of near-zero cement annually by 2030 across 17 flagship CCUS projects (Holcim, 2025). Strong if delivered, yet on-the-ground reductions need to accelerate.
What the leaderboard tells manufacturers
• Verified data beats airy pledges: investors are discounting companies that miss yearly intensity targets—even when 2050 commitments stay intact. • EPD scale matters: Holcim’s sales teams already pitch project-specific EPDs on demand, making spec wins simpler. Heidelberg and CRH are racing to automate the same trick. • Low-carbon inputs are the new M&A play. CRH’s fly-ash grab and Heidelberg’s CCS retrofit both hinge on supply security, not marketing gloss.
Eyes on 2026
The next inflection arrives when EN 15804’s revised impact categories become mandatory in Europe. Whoever updates plant datasets first will own the new baseline. Better start lining up that utility data today, becaus the compliance window will slam shut quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cement producer currently shows the lowest CO₂ intensity per tonne?
Heidelberg Materials at 527 kg CO₂ per tonne of cementitious material (Heidelberg Materials, 2025).
How many verified EPDs has Holcim published to date?
More than 3 000 across 24 countries, based on Holcim’s July 2025 disclosure (Holcim, 2025).
Does CRH disclose exact EPD counts?
No. CRH references ongoing rollouts but has not published aggregate numbers in its 2024 or 2025 filings. Manufacturers should request plant-level data directly.
Why focus on net-specific CO₂ instead of absolute emissions?
Intensity normalizes for production swings and acquisitions, giving a cleaner view of operational efficiency than raw tonnage alone.
About the Author
Eric works at the intersection of sustainability, regulation, and business strategy, helping manufacturers navigate the evolving landscape of EPDs and LCAs. Having spoken with hundreds of teams across North America, brings a deep understanding of what drives ROI, what regulators are asking for, and how companies can stay ahead with smart, scalable approaches to environmental reporting.
