Murphy Cuts 145kgCO₂e Per m³ Carbon at Shipley Depot TRU

SHIPLEY, UK – Construction firm Murphy, in partnership with Breedon and Ecocem Global, has deployed a low-carbon concrete for permanent works at the Shipley Depot site. The material, used for a capping beam on a contiguous pile wall, reduces the carbon footprint by 145kgCO₂e per m³ compared to the benchmark CIII/A concrete mix. The depot is a key component of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU).

What Are the Technical Specifications?

The material used is Ecocem ACT, a low-carbon concrete technology designed to reduce the high embodied carbon typically associated with cement production. For this application, it was used in the capping beam of a contiguous pile wall, a foundational structure. This deployment follows a previous successful use by Murphy at Uxbridge Moor, which was the largest single pour of ACT concrete in the UK at the time. The industry-wide push for such materials includes advancements like graphene nanoplatelets to enhance strength and alternative low-carbon cements from major manufacturers.

Key Technical Data

Where Does This Technology Stand in the Market?

Ecocem’s application targets the reduction of embodied carbon in construction, a different challenge from reducing operational emissions. Its main competitors in the low-carbon cementitious materials space include global giants like Heidelberg Materials, which reported a 3 percent reduction in specific net CO2 emissions per tonne of material in 2025 and is advancing its carbon capture technologies for near-zero emission cement (Source: Greentechlead, 2025). While Ecocem focuses on material science, other rail decarbonisation technologies target operations. For example, Voltify’s battery-conversion systems for diesel trains are projected to cut over 50 million tons of annual operational carbon emissions by 2025, demonstrating a parallel but distinct approach to achieving network-wide net-zero goals (Source: Railway Supply, 2025).

Editor’s Analysis

This deployment at Shipley signifies a growing maturity in the UK rail sector’s decarbonisation strategy, moving beyond operational efficiencies to address the significant challenge of embodied carbon in infrastructure. As major new projects like the £6.6bn East West Rail accelerate, the specification of materials like Ecocem ACT will become a critical factor in meeting whole-life carbon targets, not just day-to-day emissions. This trend suggests that supply chain partners who can provide verified, low-carbon construction materials will gain a significant competitive advantage in upcoming procurement for national infrastructure projects (Source: Construction News, 2026).

FAQ

Q: What is the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU)?
A: The TRU is a major, multi-billion-pound programme of railway improvements in the north of England. It aims to deliver faster, more reliable, and greener journeys for passengers travelling between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York.

Q: How much carbon does this specific concrete application save?
A: The project is expected to save 145 kilograms of CO₂ equivalent for every cubic meter of concrete used. The total carbon saving for the entire wall was not disclosed, but the per-unit saving is equivalent to the carbon footprint of an average car travelling around the equator twice.

Q: Is this the only focus for carbon reduction in UK rail projects?
A: No, this addresses embodied carbon in construction. There are simultaneous major efforts to reduce operational carbon through fleet modernisation, electrification, and the adoption of battery and hydrogen power for trains.