PCI seeds Sustainable Plant Program, confidential benchmark reporting

Source: CP staff; Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, Chicago

By Don Marsh

PCI has formally launched its Sustainable Plant Program for producer members, releasing tracking tool and guidance documents during its 2011 convention in Salt Lake City. The PCI Sustainability Council is rolling out the voluntary program in three levels, from 2012–2014. Level I calls for participating precast/prestressed producers to report, in confidence, 2010 or 2011 calendar year measurement of their plant’s energy (electricity, fossil fuel) and water consumption; waste disposal and material recycling volumes; plus portland cement and supplementary cementitious material utilization. Council members crafted Level I around data that can be captured at purchasing or accounts payable, and yield baseline measurements for architectural or structural product operations.

In 2013, the Sustainable Plant Program Level II will see PCI producers measure improvements in Level I data for a second calendar year against the 2010 or 2011 baselines, while adding safety, transportation, materials acquisition and mix design optimization figures. In the following year, Level III will require participants to measure against the expanded operating and environmental categories, then begin tracking social responsibility criteria and implementing enhanced monitoring and reporting of prior level data.

Also in 2014, program organizers anticipate formal PCI Sustainable Plant certification and appropriate branding or graphics. Overseeing Level I implementation are PCI Sustainability Council Chair Jim Lewis, LEED A.P. and Gate Precast Co. director of Architectural Systems; Sustainable Plant Program Committee Chairman Frank Nadeau, P.E., chief operating officer of ConArt Precast LLC; and, PCI Director, Quality & Sustainability Programs Dean Frank, P.E. and LEED Green Associate. Guidance documents, Excel-based tracking tool data files and additional program information can be obtained from Frank, 312/583-6770; [email protected].