Projects and Features
Aiming for net zero carbon
Over the past few years, Barrett Steel has made significant progress in its decarbonisation efforts, positioning the company as a leader in delivering low carbon solutions to the market.
At Barrett Steel, our unwavering commitment to sustainability and decarbonisation is at the heart of everything we do. As the construction industry moves towards a more sustainable future, we are actively driving initiatives that reduce our own carbon footprint while supporting our customers in achieving their sustainability goals.
Lower carbon footprint
One of our core achievements has been reducing our carbon footprint by over 17% compared to our 2021 baseline. This reduction is particularly significant given that it was achieved during a period of substantial growth, with Barrett Steel expanding its number of sites across the UK. Our commitment to sustainability extends across every facet of the business as we work toward our ambitious goal of achieving net zero carbon by 2035.
A key focus in our decarbonisation strategy has been aligning with regulatory changes that are reshaping the construction landscape. The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which enters its definitive phase on January 1, 2026, and the phasing out of free ETS allocations for manufacturers, present both challenges and opportunities for the steel industry.
At Barrett Steel, we are already collaborating closely with our customers to provide the required carbon related data, while helping them reduce their carbon pricing liability through decarbonisation strategies. With the UK expected to introduce its own version of CBAM in 2027, we are committed to supporting the industry through knowledge sharing and awareness-raising initiatives.
Webinars
Throughout 2025, we will host open webinar sessions on CBAM and decarbonisation, offering insights into these critical topics and equipping businesses with the knowledge they need to navigate the changing regulatory environment.
Our focus on external knowledge sharing is matched by our investment in internal development. We are empowering our team with the skills and expertise required to drive sustainable solutions by hosting training on the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Qualification Pathway. This training is part of our ongoing commitment to professional development, equipping our employees with the knowledge they need to better serve our customers. The GHG Qualification Pathway covers essential topics such as GHG emission accounting, verification, reduction strategies, and carbon neutrality. By investing in our people, we are deepening our understanding of sustainability and enabling our team to help customers achieve their carbon reduction goals more effectively.
The construction industry has recently seen a significant milestone in its journey toward sustainability with the launch of the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard. This groundbreaking framework provides a clear and unified approach to achieving net zero in the built environment, addressing both embodied and operational carbon. As a key supplier of structural steelwork, Barrett Steel recognises the critical role we play in helping the construction sector meet the UK’s legally binding target of achieving net zero by 2050.
Steel, a fundamental component in most modern buildings, particularly in large-scale projects, contributes significantly to a building’s embodied carbon footprint. The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has identified reducing embodied carbon as a top priority for achieving net zero in construction. At Barrett Steel, we are fully aligned with this framework, offering not only high quality structural steelwork, but also a range of low carbon solutions that help minimise the environmental impact of building projects. Our extensive processing capabilities, which include cutting, drilling, preservation and lasering services, are designed to optimise the efficiency and sustainability of the steel we supply.
One of the key initiatives driving our decarbonisation efforts is the Barrett Green Solutions programme, which we launched two years ago. Through this initiative, we have been actively partnering with our supply chain to decarbonise the structural steelwork we supply to our customers. A key milestone in this journey was the introduction of our embodied carbon reporting tool, which allows us to accurately measure the embodied carbon in our products and the transport emissions from the producing mill to the customer’s factory gates. This level of transparency and precision is crucial in helping our customers understand and reduce the carbon footprint of their projects.
In 2024, we took another step forward with the launch of our predictive software, which enables us to not only report on the carbon impact of the steel we have supplied but also to proactively reduce embodied carbon at the enquiry stage. This innovative tool allows us to work with customers from the outset of a project, helping them set and achieve lower carbon targets, while ensuring that the steel we provide meets the highest standards of sustainability. This year, we also made significant progress in increasing the amount of material we purchase that meets Responsible Steel progress level 2, further solidifying our commitment to the SteelZero initiative.
EAF Material
While structural sections have been a natural starting point for our decarbonisation efforts, as they account for the majority of the steel content in framed buildings, we recognise the aesthetic and functional advantages that hollow sections provide to designers. To support these design choices, we are proud to offer low embodied carbon hollow sections with a 70% reduction in CO₂. Additionally, our profiling centre of excellence in Rotherham now offers low embodied carbon plate profiling using Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) material in both S275 and S355 grades, providing further options for customers looking to minimise the carbon footprint of their projects.
Our advanced processing capabilities are a key differentiator in the market, allowing us to offer a comprehensive range of services to our customers. We have strategically located core processing hubs across the UK, enabling us to offer steel preservation, cutting, and drilling services at scale. These automated bulk processing facilities are complemented by our 2D and 3D laser processing centres of excellence in Rotherham and Dudley, providing customers with a complete supply package that meets the highest standards of efficiency and sustainability.
New equipment
We recently expanded our processing capabilities with the installation of the HGG RPC 1200 Plasma Coping Robot at our Barrett Central Processing Hub in Scunthorpe. This cutting-edge technology allows us to streamline processes and offer a wider range of services to our customers.
Richard Gawler, Managing Director for Barrett Central Distribution Hubs, says: “This innovative addition enhances our value proposition by streamlining processes for the future of the general steel industry. The services we now offer not only boost our added value options but also significantly improve customers’ efficiency. By enabling Barrett Steel to take on more tasks, we help our customers increase their throughput. Our commitment to outstanding service quality expands our capabilities to include a wide range of processes, such as coping, drilling, notching, marking, and creating access holes. If it can be drawn, it can be coped!”
In addition to our structural steelwork offerings and advanced processing capabilities, Barrett Steel provides a wide range of safety and access products to support any secondary steelwork requirements. Our experienced balustrade and walkways team is on hand to supply fully fabricated open steel flooring and Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) options, along with a wide range of walkways products such as handrail standards, bends, clamps, and safety gates. We can also advise on and supply crash barriers for loading bays, car parks, and roof protection systems.
By integrating all of these elements – our low carbon steel solutions, advanced processing capabilities, predictive software, and extensive product range – we are empowering our customers to meet stringent embodied carbon targets and deliver truly sustainable projects. Our vision for the future is clear: we aim to be the go-to partner for sustainable steel solutions in the construction industry.
As part of our commitment to knowledge sharing and industry leadership, we invite you to join our first webinar of 2025: Decarbonisation of Structural Steel in the Built Environment. This session will explore the strategies and technologies that are helping to reduce the carbon footprint of structural steelwork in construction. Together, we are setting new benchmarks for sustainable steel solutions and building a greener future. Sign up for the seminar via the QR code.
