Concrete is the second most consumed material on earth after water – and to make concrete, we need cement. However the manufacture of cement requires the chemical decarbonisation of limestone, followed by the heating of the constituent materials to 1400°C by burning coke. These processes result in the release of billions of tonnes of CO2 each year, and hence we have a big problem. Here we introduce Will Arnold, Head of Climate Action for the Institution of Structural Engineers and Jenny Burridge of The Concrete Centre to discuss what's being done about it, and ultimately how to reduce our usage of the material to start with.

Table Talks were filmed during Covid in our Hoxton Office.