The Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance has issued a major request for proposals to secure multi-year contracts supporting the production of up to 250,000 tonnes of low-carbon cement annually from 2027, aiming to accelerate sector decarbonisation.
The Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance has moved from market sounding to procurement, issuing a request for proposals to lock in multi-year offtake contracts that could support as much as 250,000 tonnes of low-carbon cement a year from 2027. According to RMI, the initiative is designed to give project developers and emerging producers the commercial visibility they need to back first-of-a-kind capacity in a sector responsible for a large share of industrial emissions. (rmi.org)
The programme, run by the Center for Green Market Activation and RMI, is open globally to suppliers whose products meet the Global Cement and Concrete Association’s Band B threshold or better, a benchmark that RMI says equates to at least a 67% cut versus the current industry reference level. The alliance says the first round could help its member companies abate up to 85,000 metric tonnes of CO2e a year, depending on final commercial terms. (rmi.org)
SCoBA is using a book-and-claim structure intended to decouple the environmental claim from the physical shipment, allowing buyers to support lower-carbon production even when that material is not delivered directly to their sites. RMI has argued that this approach can overcome geographic and logistical barriers that have historically kept cleaner cement out of mainstream procurement, while giving producers bankable demand signals. (rmi.org)
The move follows months of market engagement. In April, RMI said the alliance was launched with founding members including Amazon, Prologis and Meta, and that it was the first buyer group formed to collectively procure environmental attribute certificates for low-carbon concrete. The broader pitch is that pooled demand can do what individual buyers cannot: turn decarbonisation pledges into long-term purchasing commitments that make capital-intensive projects easier to finance. (rmi.org)
For cement makers and technology developers, the commercial significance is hard to miss. RMI has noted that low-carbon cement and concrete plants often require hundreds of millions of dollars, and sometimes more than $1bn, in upfront investment before they can scale. A credible offtake pipeline, the group says, is therefore not just a climate instrument but a way to unlock industrial capacity. (rmi.org)
Applications for the current RFP are due by June 19, as the alliance tries to convert interest in low-carbon building materials into a repeatable procurement model for one of the hardest-to-abate parts of the construction economy. (rmi.org)
- https://concreteproducts.com/index.php/2026/05/21/alliance-rfp-spells-low-carbon-cement-capacity-commerce-prospects/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://rmi.org/press-release/buyers-unite-to-accelerate-the-market-for-low-carbon-cement/ – The Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance (SCoBA), a joint initiative of the Center for Green Market Activation and RMI, has launched a request for proposals (RFP) to secure multi-year offtake agreements supporting up to 250,000 tons of low-carbon cement production annually, beginning as early as 2027. This initiative aims to overcome barriers hindering decarbonization in the construction sector, where cement is a significant contributor to CO₂ emissions. The RFP is open to global products meeting the Global Cement and Concrete Association’s low-carbon cement definition of B and B or better, equating to at least a 67% emissions reduction compared to the current industry reference level. SCoBA seeks to pool buyer demand, secure high-integrity supply, and enable innovative, low-carbon production methods to scale. ([rmi.org](https://rmi.org/press-release/buyers-unite-to-accelerate-the-market-for-low-carbon-cement/?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/buyers-unite-to-accelerate-the-market-for-low-carbon-cement-302736001.html – The Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance (SCoBA), a joint initiative of the Center for Green Market Activation and RMI, has launched a request for proposals (RFP) to secure multi-year offtake agreements supporting up to 250,000 tons of low-carbon cement production annually, beginning as early as 2027. This move marks the first phase of a procurement designed to overcome persistent barriers that have slowed decarbonization across the construction sector, to which cement is a key contributor of carbon dioxide or CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e) emissions. The procurement will target offtake from companies developing or producing concrete binder alternatives to portland cement while sending a catalytic signal to the market. The inaugural RFP is open to products worldwide meeting the Global Cement and Concrete Association’s low-carbon cement definition of B and B or better—roughly equivalent to at least a 67% emissions reduction compared with today’s industry reference level. SCoBA aims through the procurement to pool buyer demand, secure high-integrity supply, and enable innovative, low-carbon production methods to scale. ([prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/buyers-unite-to-accelerate-the-market-for-low-carbon-cement-302736001.html?utm_source=openai))
- https://concreteproducts.com/index.php/2026/04/08/concrete-buyers-unite-to-spur-low-carbon-cement-capacity-commerce/ – The Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance (SCoBA), a joint initiative of the Center for Green Market Activation (GMA) and Colorado-based RMI, has launched a request for proposals (RFP) to secure multi-year offtake agreements supporting up to 250,000 tons of low-carbon cement production annually, beginning as early as 2027. The move marks the first phase of a procurement designed to overcome persistent barriers that have slowed decarbonization across the construction sector, to which cement is a key contributor of carbon dioxide or CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e) emissions. Through the RFP, SCoBA will position its climate-minded member companies to abate up to 85,000 metric tons of CO₂e per year, subject to final commercial details. Low-carbon cement suppliers or process developers can submit proposals through June 19. ([concreteproducts.com](https://concreteproducts.com/index.php/2026/04/08/concrete-buyers-unite-to-spur-low-carbon-cement-capacity-commerce/?utm_source=openai))
- https://gmacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/SCoBA-Supplier-Request-for-Information-RFI-1.pdf – The Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance (SCoBA) is a newly formed coalition of concrete buyers committed to procuring low-carbon commodities. This Request for Information (RFI) is issued jointly by RMI (founded as Rocky Mountain Institute) and the Center for Green Market Activation (GMA), founders and organizers of SCoBA, to gather information on availability of low-carbon cement and concrete solutions. Responses, alongside buyer interest, will inform the design and details of a forthcoming Request for Proposal (RFP) to facilitate procurement of environmental attribute certificates (EACs) associated with low-carbon clinker, cement, and concrete production. The first RFP is planned for release in late 2025 or early 2026. ([gmacenter.org](https://gmacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/SCoBA-Supplier-Request-for-Information-RFI-1.pdf?utm_source=openai))
- https://alliancelccc.com/ – The Alliance for Low-Carbon Cement and Concrete is a coalition aiming to decarbonise the cement and concrete industry, which accounts for 8% of global CO₂ emissions. The alliance advocates for an ambitious EU legislative framework in energy, climate, and emissions that incentivises low-carbon solutions in the industry. It also seeks to establish performance-based standards for assessing cement and concrete products across the EU and unlock financing and public funding to support the uptake of low-carbon cement and concrete. The alliance comprises various members, including Resilco, Co-Reactive, GBV, Cemonite, NeoCem, Polycare, CB Green, Sublime Systems, NoMad, CemVision, GreenMade, 3 Béton GreenTech, Carbon Re, Materrup, Colas, TerraCO₂, Arup, ResourceFull, Hoffman Green Cement, and ecoLocked. ([alliancelccc.com](https://alliancelccc.com/?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.bdcnetwork.com/concrete/news/55320433/sustainable-concrete-buyers-alliance-aims-to-boost-adoption-of-low-carbon-materials – RMI and the Center for Green Market Activation (GMA) recently launched the Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance (SCoBA) with founding members including Amazon, Prologis, and Meta. The group’s goal is to accelerate the adoption of low-carbon cement and concrete for 21st century buildings and infrastructure. SCoBA is the first buyers group formed to collectively procure environmental attribute certificates for low-carbon concrete. It aims to turn demand into real-world offtake agreements that enable producers to invest at scale in new infrastructure and pioneering technologies. The cement and concrete sector accounts for around 8% of global carbon emissions and is predicted to grow significantly by 2050, but low-carbon options are currently not available at scale. SCoBA will use an innovative book and claim system to enable companies
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article was published on May 21, 2026, and reports on the Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance’s recent request for proposals (RFP) to secure multi-year offtake agreements for low-carbon cement production starting in 2027. This is a recent development, and no earlier publications with substantially similar content were found. However, the article relies on information from RMI and GMA, which have previously announced similar initiatives, raising concerns about the originality of the content.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from RMI Managing Director Bryan Fisher and GMA CEO Kim Carnahan. Searches for these quotes did not yield earlier appearances, suggesting they are original. However, without access to the original press releases or statements, the authenticity of these quotes cannot be independently verified.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The article is published on Concrete Products, a trade publication focusing on the concrete industry. While it provides industry-specific news, its reach and reputation are limited compared to major news organisations. The content is based on information from RMI and GMA, both reputable organisations in the field, but the article’s reliance on these sources without independent verification raises concerns about source independence.
Plausibility check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims about the Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance’s RFP and its goals align with known industry efforts to decarbonise cement production. The use of a book-and-claim framework is consistent with strategies discussed by RMI and GMA. However, the article’s reliance on information from these organisations without independent verification raises questions about the accuracy of the claims.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article reports on a recent RFP by the Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance for low-carbon cement production, citing information from RMI and GMA. While the content is recent and plausible, the heavy reliance on these sources without independent verification raises concerns about the originality and reliability of the information. The inability to independently verify the quotes further diminishes confidence in the article’s accuracy.
