modified binder formulations could be introduced into a live manufacturing environment. Many material innovations perform well in laboratory conditions, but adoption depends on their ability to operate reliably at commercial scale, with consistent quality, production speed and compatibility with existing plant. Trials were conducted at a roof tile manufacturing facility operating automated production lines with a combined daily capacity exceeding 120,000 tiles. The programme began with an initial run of 2,500 graphene- enhanced tiles, produced alongside standard control tiles. This demonstrated that the material could be processed on a live production line without changes to normal manufacturing methods. Further factory trials then tested formulation limits, production repeatability and the relationship between carbon reduction and product performance. A final demonstration run produced 10,000 tiles using an optimised graphene-enhanced mix. The tiles were manufactured under normal factory conditions and at standard production speeds, indicating that the preferred formulation could be suitable for wider manufacturing use. The objective was not simply to prove that graphene could be incorporated into a cementitious product, but to determine whether it could contribute to measurable carbon reduction while meeting the tolerances required for roof tile production. Digital quality control formed a key
part of the validation process. A robotic laser-profile scanning system captured tile geometry as a dense three-dimensional
point cloud, enabling detailed assessment of shape and dimensional consistency. In parallel, an AI-assisted vision system assessed the quality of each tile produced during the campaign. These systems helped accelerate evaluation by providing rapid, repeatable inspection data across large trial batches. The environmental case centres
on reducing the embodied carbon associated with cement-based products. Laboratory optimisation and factory trials identified a route combining graphene- enhanced cement with additional binder substitution, indicating a potential 14% reduction in cradle-to-gate embodied carbon across modules A1–A3. Further durability and leaching assessments remain in progress, but the results to-date show how incremental changes to material formulation may support decarbonisation in product categories already used at scale. Collaboration across the supply chain has been central to the project. Graphene- enhanced cement was produced and supplied for the trials, while life-cycle assessment expertise was used to quantify the environmental implications of different formulation scenarios. In total, 600 tonnes of graphene-enhanced cement were produced at cement works scale, with 60 tonnes supplied to the tile manufacturing facility for the trial programme. This movement from laboratory development to industrial cement production, and then to roof tile manufacture, is a significant step toward practical adoption. The project is also moving beyond the factory floor. A selection of newly produced roof tiles is being installed on a new office building at the manufacturing
site, creating an opportunity to monitor in situ performance over time. This real-world application will complement ongoing laboratory testing and provide further evidence on durability, weathering and installation performance under service conditions. For specifiers, manufacturers and housebuilders, the practical significance lies in the process’s low-disruption nature. The trials indicate that lower-carbon concrete roof tiles may be produced using existing equipment, tooling, mixing, casting and curing processes. If validated through final performance assessments, this approach could help reduce embodied carbon without introducing substantial operational complexity or delaying construction programmes. The initiative was funded through
Contracts for Innovation with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and Defra. As the construction sector seeks scalable routes to lower-carbon materials, the project illustrates how collaborative research, digital validation and factory- scale testing can help bridge the gap between promising material science and commercially practical building products.
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