Less carbon producing sustainable concrete from environmental and performance perspectives: A review

•The necessity for sustainable concrete and the environmental effects of cement and concrete were discussed.•Innovative technologies and advanced methods were introduced to promote the sustainability of concrete mixtures.•Incorporating less cement, cement substitutes, alternative binders, carbon capture, and recycled materials, were reviewed. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from cement and concrete production have become one of the most pressing concerns in the modern world. The utilization of sustainable products has shown great promise for the environmentally necessary reduction of CO2 emissions and for minimizing the reliance on ordinary Portland cement. This review aims to introduce advanced methods and innovative technologies applied by researchers and industries to promote the sustainability of concrete mixtures. To this end, the focus is put on investigating efforts such as the incorporation of less cement, cement substitutes, alternative binders, heat-to-treat binders, carbon capture techniques, recycled materials, nanotechnology, and biotechnology in producing environmentally friendly concrete. The methodology and details of each method were discussed, and the promising technologies were highlighted. In addition, after comparing the outcomes reported by the studies, the research gaps were identified, and practical recommendations for further improving the environmental and performance aspects of sustainable concrete were provided.