Scottish Water has signed an advance market commitment to procure almost 20,000m³ of low carbon concrete over five years, equivalent to about 30% of its current annual concrete use. The Innovate UK and Carbon Limiting Technologies-led scheme, funded by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, aims to aggregate up to 500,000m³ of demand to de-risk commercialisation of novel low carbon mixes. With Scottish Water investing over £1bn a year in infrastructure, the commitment signals material changes to mix design specifications and supply-chain carbon baselines on upcoming projects.

K-Briq, a masonry unit made from nearly 100% recycled construction and demolition waste, is now sold direct to consumers via B&Q’s diy.com online marketplace. Developed by Heriot-Watt University spin-out Kenoteq, the brick has already been specified by architects for commercial projects and award-winning festival installations, and is now being adopted for domestic renovations and garden walls. Wider retail availability signals growing client pressure for low‑carbon, circular materials in small‑scale builds as well as large commercial schemes.

Firebird Metals has reported manganese-iron phosphate (MFP) battery material results that exceed current Chinese industry purity standards, strengthening its case for high-spec cathode precursor supply. The high-purity MFP is targeted at lithium-ion battery applications, positioning Firebird’s planned production as a potential alternative to conventional manganese sulphate routes. For process engineers and metallurgists, the data point to viable upstream integration of manganese ore into value-added MFP with tighter impurity control than typical Chinese benchmark products.