A new LIAISON policy brief shows that geopolymer precast, embedded sensors and digital production can cut the embodied carbon of infrastructure by around 78–80%, and calls on the European Commission, CEN and CENELEC to update standards, certification and procurement so these solutions can reach the market.
The European Union has committed to climate neutrality by 2050 and to the digital transformation of its transport infrastructure. Meeting both goals at once depends on materials and systems that cut emissions, use resources more efficiently and enable data-driven asset management. Yet most of Europe’s construction standards and design rules were written for Ordinary Portland Cement and prescriptive design, leaving little room for the low-carbon, digitally enabled solutions that are now technically available.
The LIAISON project has published a policy brief, Standardising Smart Low-Carbon Infrastructure, that addresses this gap head-on. Its central message is simple: the technology is ready; the standards are not.
What LIAISON demonstrated
LIAISON validated three technologies that are often discussed but rarely proven together in real components.
Geopolymer precast slabs met the required compressive-strength and durability criteria while achieving around 78–80% lower embodied CO₂ than conventional Portland cement concrete. In the project’s comparative environmental assessment, the geopolymer smart slab scored 10 against 3 for a conventional OPC slab — a relative rating in which a higher score reflects better environmental performance, chiefly lower embodied carbon — at equivalent structural performance.
Fibre-optic Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) and Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) sensors were embedded directly into precast slabs and optimised beams, and validated for continuous monitoring under both laboratory and demonstrator conditions. And by combining topology optimisation, robotic fabrication and digital quality assurance, LIAISON showed that digitally verified production can reduce material use significantly — pointing towards approximately 40% material dematerialisation without compromising structural reliability.
Why it matters — for industry and for policy
For manufacturers and infrastructure owners, the finding is pragmatic. The geopolymer smart slab carries around 36% higher initial CAPEX, but delivers lower total lifecycle cost through predictive maintenance, fewer inspections, less disruption and longer service life. As embodied-carbon requirements move into procurement, durable and low-carbon components become a competitive advantage rather than a compliance cost. Firms that invest early in geopolymer and alkali-activated materials, sensor integration and digital quality assurance stand to gain first-mover advantage as the market shifts.
For policymakers, LIAISON removes a common objection: the evidence now exists that these solutions are ready for deployment. What holds them back is regulatory. The brief identifies four barriers: the absence of harmonised design provisions for geopolymer concrete, the lack of certification frameworks for sensorised components, procurement that rewards lowest initial price over lifecycle value, and limited recognition of digital quality assurance and SHM in existing standards.
The recommendations
LIAISON calls on the European Commission, CEN and CENELEC to:
- create harmonised design provisions for geopolymer and alkali-activated materials, including a Eurocode Technical Specification or Annex and a revision of EN 13877;
- establish certification pathways and extend CE marking for sensor-integrated infrastructure components, covering sensor reliability, interoperability and long-term data quality;
- promote lifecycle-based and green public procurement, including lifecycle costing and Environmental Product Declarations.
Read the brief
The full policy brief is available HERE.
