Public Funding for P.C.E. Group Holdings Limited

Confronting the urgent environmental challenge of waste management and CO2 sequestration, our project "Inciner8-2-Net0: Maximising value of incineration waste and carbon capture for a Net Zero built environment" is set to revolutionise the way the UK and Singapore handle municipal solid waste incineration by-products. With the nearing capacity of Singapore's only landfill Semakau and the UK's significant and growing production of incinerator bottom ash (IBA), our project offers a timely and innovative solution. At the core of our project is the ground-breaking and synergistic use of accelerated carbonation and bio-mineralisation processes to transform IBA and associated mixed material into a valuable resource for the construction industry. This process not only stabilises harmful substances within IBA but also facilitates permanent CO2 sequestration, significantly reducing their environmental impact. The integration of microorganisms from wastewater treatment plants to enhance bio-mineralisation is a pioneering approach, further boosting the efficiency of CO2 sequestration and solidification of IBA. Our multifaceted team, consisting of experts in environmental science, waste management, and constructional materials, will implement a comprehensive strategy by: 1\. Developing a national database detailing key characteristics of IBA and associated mixed landfill materials. 2\. Addressing technical, economic, and logistical challenges in repurposing IBA for construction applications. 3\. Optimising pre-processing conditions to enhance the properties of IBA and associated mixed landfilled material. 4\. Formulating and testing sustainable, cement-based mixes using treated IBA, and ensuring they meet or exceed industry standards. 5\. Exploring the large-scale application of treated IBA in construction and leveraging its potential to contribute to the circular economy. 6\. Creating clear guidelines for the construction industry and promoting the transition towards sustainable practices and the use of waste as a resource in construction. Our project will not only reduce landfill burden and greenhouse gas emissions, but also enhance the sustainability of the construction sector. By turning harmful waste into a valuable resource, we are taking a significant step towards a more sustainable future and contributing to the global push for a Net Zero environment.The outcomes of this project, which will involve several key players across the entire supply chain, will be instrumental in positioning the UK and Singapore as leaders in sustainable construction and waste management. By efficiently utilising IBA and sequestering CO2, we are setting new benchmarks for environmental responsibility and innovation in the construction industry.

Economic and industry forecasts indicate a prolonged impact from COVID-19 on the UK economy and more specifically the construction sector. The Construction Product Association forecast a 25% fall during 2020, with certain commentators predicting output in 2021 to be 20% lower than 2019\. Manufacturers and suppliers within the industry have been forced to restructure operations to reflect anticipated declines in the short and medium-term; with employee reductions and mothballing of facilities. Business survival strategies are being implemented at the same time the industry is challenged to reinvent to address strategic priorities of innovation and net zero carbon. This is illustrated no more vividly than within the precast concrete market. As Government seeks to expedite the procurement and construction of viable projects, COVID-19 has stimulated a turning point in the private sector's adoption of modern methods of construction. AMA research forecast that the precast concrete sector will grow by 18% to £2.3.bn by 2024, however the sectors ability to accelerate investment in decarbonisation is compromised. As a cement based product, traditional concrete manufacture is a fuel intensive, electro-intensive and CO2 intensive process, said to be responsible for 4-8% of the world's CO2\. An increased demand for products and market growth, stimulated as a result of COVID, could, without corresponding innovation, represent a threat to the clean growth strategy of the UK. Concrete is however a unique material in that the specifier has the ability to directly influence its constituent parts to ensure an optimum carbon footprint that meets performance criteria and addresses the design imperatives of resource and energy efficiency within a whole life context, that also address the precepts of a circular economy. Significant carbon savings can be realised through the design decisions of architects and engineers, in collaboration with precast manufacturers. Material efficient structure can be optimised to minimise carbon, however supply side barriers (e.g. availability and cost of raw materials) and demand side barriers (e.g. restrictions in concrete standards) currently limit their application and diffusion within the marketplace. Engaging key market actors within the value chain, this project plans to overcome these barriers, to deliver decarbonisation without compromising sector competitiveness. Benchmarked against the performance of an existing public sector portfolio, this project will accelerate the pathway towards net zero, through improved design, product selection and manufacturing and construction processes of precast concrete components.