Editorial

Last month, I bought a wooden pendulum clock. It transported me back to the 18th century when the design of these clocks was as much about artistry as it was about function. However, I couldn't sleep that night due to the incessant “tick-tock” sound. After a few nights, everything returned to normal; the distracting noise no longer bothered me! This phenomenon is called habituation. Habituation is a psychological process in which our attention or emotional response to a stimulus diminishes after repeated exposure. In human psychology, this process helps conserve cognitive resources by allowing individuals to ignore non-threatening stimuli. But what happens with threatening stimuli?Frequent news coverage highlights the impacts of climate change, such as rising global temperatures, escalating sea levels, shrinking ice cover, and more frequent heatwaves. These reports may lead some to perceive these changes as inevitable or “just the way things are,” which can reduce attention. In other words, the habituation of climate change that some individuals experience is deeply concerning. Failing to manage climate change could result in a temperature rise of 1.5°C by 2040 and 3°C by 2100. The COP-28 final report calls for accelerating climate action across all sectors by 2030, emphasising implementing zero-carbon solutions in high-emission industries. Cement and concrete production, one of the world’s largest polluting sectors, accounts for 7%–8% of global carbon dioxide emissions and is projected to increase by 40% by 2050 due to rising demand for concrete. Decarbonizing this sector is critical to achieving net-zero emissions and limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Several approaches have been explored to mitigate the environmental impact of the concrete industry, three of which are featured in the current issue.Cement is the most carbon-intensive ingredient in concrete. Reducing cement content while maintaining adequate performance is a key decarbonization strategy. In the first paper by Yuan et al. (2025), ultra-high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) was considered superior to traditional high-performance concrete. UHPFRC offers excellent homogeneity, compactness, ultra-high compressive and tensile strength, durability, and low porosity, making it the material of choice for critical civil engineering projects. However, due to its very low water-to-binder ratio, much of the cement in UHPFRC is used as filler, which contradicts the goal of low-carbon dioxide emissions and economically sustainable development. Therefore, the study explored using recycled brick powder (RBP) as a cement replacement and assessed its effect on UHPFRC performance at elevated temperatures. The results showed that 400°C is the threshold temperature for compressive strength, with threshold temperatures for residual fracture energy varying based on RBP substitution rates. In conclusion, when heated, UHPFRC demonstrated superior mechanical performance, particularly with 30% RBP content. These findings encourage further experimentation with similar waste materials to reduce cement content in UHPFRC.The second approach addresses the growing construction and demolition waste management issue, contributes to resource conservation, and represents a pivotal step toward decarbonizing the construction industry. The second paper by Trivedi et al. (2025) comprehensively reviews the physical, chemical, microstructural, and durability properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC). It also highlights effective mixing methods and techniques to enhance recycled aggregates' mechanical properties and long-term performance. The potential for incorporating recycled aggregates in concrete, within certain limits, is well-established. Additionally, the paper discusses the benefits of using mineral admixtures at the micron, sub-micron, and nano scales to overcome the limitations of recycled aggregates.Another approach to increasing sustainability in the construction industry is extending the service life of concrete, thereby reducing the environmental impact of demolition. The addition of fibres is a widely accepted method for improving flexural strength and toughness, controlling failure modes, enhancing energy absorption, and inhibiting crack propagation. The third paper by Kassum and Acquaye (2025) examines traditional fibres' environmental impact, particularly in their production, use, and disposal, leading to a high carbon footprint. Consequently, natural sponge fibres were proposed as an alternative to traditional fibres to reduce the brittleness of mass concrete. The study investigated the properties of reinforced concrete with both treated and untreated natural sponge fibres (NSF), assessing their potential for structural enhancement and environmental sustainability. The results revealed that concrete with treated NSF showed improved strength and durability, though workability was slightly reduced. This underscores the potential of treated NSF as a valuable construction material for structural and environmental benefits.These papers further emphasise the importance of adopting decarbonization strategies in the concrete industry to build a sustainable future. The ideas shared in these papers serve as a call to action, urging the practical application of these strategies to maximise societal benefits and minimise environmental impacts. If you are interested in sharing your research and contributing to the growing recognition of the urgent need to combat the habituation of climate change impacts, we encourage you to submit your paper to the Construction Materials journal.

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