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This paper aims to raise awareness regarding the obstacles limiting alkali-activated binders’ (AABs) application as a sustainable solution in the construction industry. Such an evaluation is essential in this industry, which has been introducing a wide range of alternatives to cement binders yet achieved limited utilisation. It has been recognised that technical, environmental, and economic performance should be investigated for the broader adoption of alternative construction materials. Based on this approach, a state-of-the-art review was conducted to identify the key factors to consider when developing AABs. It was identified that AABs’ adverse performance compared to conventional cement-based materials mainly depends on the choice of which precursors and alkali activators to employ and the regionalised practices adopted (i.e., transportation, energy sources, and data on raw materials). In light of the available literature, increasing attention to incorporating alternative alkali activators and precursors by utilising agricultural and industrial by-products and/or waste seems to be a viable option for optimising the balance between AABs’ technical, environmental, and economic performance. With regard to improving the circularity practices in this sector, employing construction and demolition waste as raw materials has been acknowledged as a feasible strategy.

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One of the sustainable solutions for cementitious materials could be the inclusion of locally available raw materials with possible lower environmental and/or economic impacts that meet technical requirements. This study focuses on waste perlite and recycled concrete powders, which are wastes from natural or artificial rock. Their effects on hardened and fresh properties were investigated by cement replacement of 15, 30 and 45 m%. The waste perlite powders demonstrated higher reactivity, while the recycled concrete powder would act mainly as a filler material. When using recycled concrete and waste perlite powders, an adverse effect was identified on the examined fresh properties.

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