Portland cement and blended Portland cements are currently the only economic binders for concrete that match the performance and durability requirements under the range of conditions to which it is exposed. However, Portland cement manufacture is very energy intensive and large amounts of CO2 are produced.This report reviews the field of low energy cements and, in particular, belite-calcium sulfoaluminate cements. It includes a literature review and describes a testing programme carried out at BRE to assess the performance of belite-based cements produced on a commercial scale in China. The results show that concretes made with these cements have good early strength development and excellent sulfate resistance. Their resistance to carbonation, however, may be lower than that of Portland cement concrete. 50 pages.