Unlocking Uptake Barriers of Low-Carbon Alternative Materials for India's Construction Sector
Among available mitigation strategies, reducing clinker content is the amongst most significant levers, contributing nearly 37% (approximately 2.9Gt CO₂) of total emissions reductions potential, envisioned under the 2°C scenario in India. Furthermore, adopting clinker substitutes may lead to an 11-15% reduction, cutting emissions by 145–200 Mt CO2e.
India is well positioned to lead transition in clinker substitutes due to its adoption of blended cements and alternative raw materials. The country’s clinker-to-cement ratio is approximately 67.5%, already significant and lower than the global average of 77%, yet further reductions remain achievable. Substituting clinker with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as fly ash, slag, calcined clay, and bio-ash offers substantial environmental benefits. Each tonne of clinker displaced saves roughly 3.7 GJ of energy and avoids around 0.83 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. Moreover, clinker substitution is also economically attractive, delivering estimated savings of Rs.1,600 per tonne of CO₂ avoided, while simultaneously strengthening circular economy pathways by converting industrial and agricultural waste into valuable construction inputs.
Adoption of low-clinker cements and SCMs in India remains slow due to prescriptive input-based standards and market supply-demand imbalances that cap the permissible use of substitutes even where performance has been demonstrated. Unlocking wider adoption will require systematic mapping of new clinker substitutes, scoping dynamic consumption, alongside regulatory reform. Promising alternatives such as calcined clay and calcium silicate deposits are available in large quantities and could significantly reduce clinker content in blended cements, supporting eco-efficient production.
On the supply side, adoption of low-carbon cement technologies remains limited due to uncertainty around raw material accessibility, lack of standardized performance specifications, and insufficient validation from major consumers and institutions. Alternative material producers face high upfront capital, particularly for retrofits, and supply-chain integration within the conventional ecosystem. Market ambiguity and fragmented regulatory frameworks further discourage major producers and new generation innovators from making large-scale investments decisions. From the demand side, uptake is constrained by risk aversion among developers, and contractors, who continue to prioritize cost certainty and proven materials. Awareness and confidence about low-carbon alternatives materials remain constraints, while concerns around performance, durability, and standards persist. The absence of clear definition, strong policy incentives and mandates, very few corporates commit to the transition or adoption of low-carbon materials, result in insufficient market pull.
The roundtable, co-hosted by Climate Group and TARA, in partnership with the Climate Collective at the Delhi Climate Innovation Week, aims to convene thought leaders, industry practitioners, policymakers, financial institutions, and innovators to critically examine the current landscape of low-carbon alternative materials in India’s construction sector.
The dialogue will assess key barriers and opportunities across the value chain, spanning supply, demand, standards, finance, and policy. Furthermore, identifying practical mechanisms to accelerate market activation and enable scalable uptake of low-carbon materials across the built environment.