A screening life cycle assessment (LCA) validates how Sublime Systems’ low temperature, electrolysis-enabled processing of calcium-bearing feeds yields a concrete-grade binder whose global warming potential (GWP) is less than one-tenth that of a typical portland cement. The most widely referenced metric in environmental product declarations, GWP indicates carbon dioxide emissions and is expressed as kilograms per metric ton equivalent (kgCO2/mt). …
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“EPD on Demand” tool equips aggregate producers for Buy Clean
Sources: WAP Sustainability, Nashville; CP staff Life cycle assessment and environmental product declaration services provider WAP Sustainability has launched Theta EPD for Aggregates with National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association support. The first tool of its kind programmed specifically for North American producers, Theta Aggregate builds on WAP’s expertise in LCA and EPD generation software for ready mixed concrete, concrete…
Read MoreConcrete Reinforcing Steel Institute revises Industry Wide EPD for rebar
The Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, Schaumburg, Ill., has released Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for Fabricated Steel Reinforcement Bar, superseding a 2017 declaration. Aware of the increasing interest in transparent reporting of a construction product’s cradle-to-gate environmental performance, CRSI aims to demonstrate members’ sustainability leadership, underscored by their a) output of reinforcing bars of more than 97 percent recycled content, and…
Read MoreU.S. DOT announces $7 million in grants to promote LCA, EPD adoption
The Federal Highway Administration has awarded $204,000-$312,000 grants to support sustainable pavement, materials emissions tracking and related initiatives at more than 20 state departments of transportation. Many of the initiatives are centered on developing, adopting or advancing the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) methods and environmental product declarations (EPD). The latter encompass LCA data and are the most widely…
Read MoreIW EPD GWP: Ready mixed producers shrink carbon footprint by one-fifth
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association producer members have lowered their carbon footprint by 21 percent in seven years, according to a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report and Industry Wide Environmental Product Declaration (IW EPD). NRMCA has tracked environmental impacts—carbon dioxide emissions, energy and water use, and waste associated with ready mixed concrete production activities—since releasing an inaugural LCA in…
Read MoreLCA, nanotech projects top ACI Foundation research funding round
Sources: American Concrete Institute Foundation, Farmington Hills, Mich.
The ACI Foundation Concrete Research Council will fund a record eight research projects this year, its budget buoyed by a one-time, $500,000 commitment the American Concrete Institute to address the industry’s growing need for such technical support. The projects are:
Read MoreCalculator performs life cycle assessment for slag cement concrete
The Slag Cement Association has programmed a calculator with which concrete producers can quantify and interpret cradle-to-gate life cycle assessments (LCA) reflecting the environmental impact of mixtures with and without slag cement. Calculations are based on the industry-average Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for ready mixed concrete that incorporates industry-average EPDs for slag cement and portland cement in the United States. The calculator also allows users to evaluate how different concrete mixtures affect whole building impacts based on a typical case study project.
Read MoreCalculator performs life cycle assessment for slag cement concrete
Sources: Slag Cement Association (SCA), Farmington Hills, Mich.
SCA has posted for free download a calculator with which concrete producers can quantify and interpret cradle-to-gate life cycle assessments (LCA) reflecting the environmental impact of mixtures with and without slag cement. Calculations are based on the industry-average Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for ready mixed concrete that incorporates industry-average EPDs for slag cement and portland cement in the United States. The calculator also allows users to evaluate how different concrete mixtures affect whole building impacts based on a typical case study project.
Read MoreASTM, ICC ES pool resources in PCR-, LCA-, EPD-centered consortium
Sources: ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa.; CP staff
Officials from ASTM, the (International Code Council) ICC Evaluation Service and Michigan-based NSF International have announced the first Program Operator Consortium, serving as an expert resource for creating product category rules (PCR), reviewing life cycle assessment (LCA) reports, plus verifying and publishing environmental product declarations (EPD).
Read MoreAthena Institute collaborative updates Impact Estimator for Buildings
Sources: Athena Sustainable Materials Institute, Ottawa; CP staff
To continue it support of whole-building life cycle assessment (LCA), the Athena Institute has released Impact Estimator for Buildings Version 5.1. The free software assists design teams across North America in gauging the environmental footprint of different material choices and core-and-shell system options.
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