FP McCann is pleased to announce the release of its updated Sustainability Practice Booklet for 2026, a comprehensive document that charts the company’s ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility, carbon reduction, and sustainable manufacturing across all its UK and Irish operations.

The booklet — subtitled Providing for the Present, Protecting the Future — brings together the latest policy statements, project milestones, technological innovations, and forward-looking roadmaps that define FP McCann’s approach to sustainability as a precast concrete producer, quarry operator, and aggregate supplier.

Renewed Policy Commitments for 2026

At the heart of the updated booklet are three core company policy statements, each reviewed and signed by Managing Director Hugh McCann on 12 January 2026. These cover Energy Management (CPS009), Environmental Responsibility (CPS010), and Sustainability Practice (CPS020), and together set out the principles that govern FP McCann’s operations across all sites and business disciplines.

The overarching target remains clear: a 50% reduction in carbon emissions within the next five years, with a firm pledge to achieve Net Zero by 2050 in line with current government guidance.

Key Achievements and Milestones

The 2026 booklet highlights several significant achievements delivered since the previous edition, demonstrating that FP McCann’s sustainability commitments are translating into measurable, real-world results.

The Cadeby solar array alone — comprising 1,041 panels across 2,263 square metres of roof space — generates an estimated 418,229 kWh of electricity per year, delivering an annual carbon saving of 97.51 tonnes of CO₂. Over the installation’s 25-year lifetime, this equates to a projected saving of 2,438 tonnes of CO₂.

Innovation at the Forefront

The updated booklet also showcases a series of pioneering research and development initiatives that position FP McCann at the cutting edge of low-carbon construction.

Graphene-Enhanced Concrete Roof Tiles — In collaboration with First Graphene Ltd. and the National Composites Centre (NCC), and funded through the government’s Contracts for Innovation programme, FP McCann is developing scalable production of graphene-enhanced concrete roof tiles. The novel graphene-enhanced cement (GEC) binder achieves strength levels comparable to traditional CEM I concrete while delivering a carbon footprint reduction of between 15% and 20%, with no changes required to existing production methods. Full-scale production trials are currently underway, and a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will be conducted to produce an independently verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).

Earth Friendly Concrete (EFC) — FP McCann has manufactured the UK’s first cement-free precast manhole rings and pipes at its Knockloughrim factory, using a geopolymer low-carbon binder formed from Fly Ash and Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS). This innovative approach can reduce the overall CO₂ emissions of concrete by up to 80% compared with traditional Portland cement.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning — The company is integrating AI and machine learning into its manufacturing operations to promote smarter factories, digital twins, and increased automation. This is complemented by a bespoke, in-house energy monitoring platform developed by FP McCann’s R&D Department, which provides real-time data collection and analysis across all company locations to track progress on the Net Zero roadmap.

Queen’s University Belfast Partnership — FP McCann has strengthened its long-standing research collaboration with Queen’s University Belfast to advance the development of low-carbon concrete solutions, with a focus on alternative binders, supplementary cementitious materials, and innovative mix designs.

Nature-Based Solutions and Biodiversity

Alongside its technological investments, FP McCann continues to pursue nature-based solutions as a vital component of its sustainability strategy. In 2025, the company continued its participation in the Small Woodland Scheme, an accredited programme supporting the creation of new native woodland for long-term carbon sequestration and biodiversity enhancement. FP McCann has also joined the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, working alongside a wide range of business supporters and community groups to protect and promote pollinator habitats across the landscape.

At the company’s newest manufacturing facility in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, almost 10,000 new plants are being established across the site as part of the wider development programme, creating new green infrastructure and contributing to local biodiversity.

The Road Ahead

The booklet sets out a detailed, multi-stage roadmap to Net Zero, encompassing advances in low-carbon cements and binders, carbon capture and sequestration, alternative reinforcement materials, waste heat recovery, and the deep decarbonisation of quarrying operations. FP McCann has also signed up to the Industrial Decarbonisation Northern Ireland (IDNI) scheme, supported by the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund and Invest NI, which promotes energy efficiency and shared learning across industrial energy users.

Hugh McCann, Managing Director, commented:

“Our updated sustainability booklet reflects the genuine progress we have made and the ambitious steps we are taking for the future. Sustainability is not a box to be ticked — it is embedded in every decision we make, from the materials we source to the energy we use and the land we steward. We are proud of what we have achieved, and we remain fully committed to our Net Zero pledge.”

The full FP McCann Sustainability Practice Booklet 2026 is available to download here.