Sustainability specialist economizes plant-specific LCA, EPD preparation

Sources: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md.; Athena Sustainable Materials Institute, Ottawa; CP staff

A catalyst behind the database of concrete and cement production environmental impacts, the Athena Sustainable Materials Institute has released an online calculator affording ready mixed producers instant Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Product Declaration figures for any mix, easing preparation of full LCA and EPD reports for green building certification candidate projects.

Athena Institute works with producers to customize the Ready Mixed Concrete EPD Calculator with plant-specific energy use and supply chain data. As concrete mix details are entered, the tool calculates environmental impacts and allows a producer to:

Generate custom EPD easily and inexpensively;
Explore and compare mix designs to industry average and NRMCA benchmarks;
Identify environmental “hot spots” to help improve concrete mixes;
Inform customers of mixes’ environmental footprint; and,
Show design teams how a mix affects a whole building LCA.

The Ready Mixed Concrete EPD Calculator is offered on per-plant, annual subscription basis. It helps identify the “greenest” mixes and advance concrete customers’ green building certification goals, while demonstrating sustainability leadership and generating credible results. Additional information can be obtained from Athena Institute’s James Salazar, 250/306-0638; [email protected].