Sources: ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa.
A just-signed memorandum of understanding will see ASTM International and NEU, An ACI Center of Excellence for Carbon-Neutral Concrete, work to lower the carbon footprint of concrete in the built environment and minimize redundant efforts toward that goal. The organizations jointly plan to:
• Foster and support technologies for cast-in-place and manufactured concrete;
• Develop, promulgate, and advocate the adoption of consensus-based codes and standards that allow the use of carbon-neutral concrete;
• Identify and advance warranted research;
• Deliver means and methods to validate design methodologies, material technologies, and products that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete construction and promote recycling; and,
• Provide technology transfer, course content, and related resources equipping design, construction, specifying professionals, and owner representatives to apply sound and proven carbon-reduction technologies.
“We are thrilled to partner with NEU to support sustainability on activities related to carbon-neutral concrete,” notes ASTM President Katherine Morgan, who signed the memorandum with NEU Board President Larry Sutter. “We believe this agreement will have a significant role in those efforts and look forward to ongoing collaboration within the concrete industry.”
“This partnership will be instrumental in accelerating the adoption of carbon neutral concrete materials and technologies into standards for the construction industry,” adds Sutter, who recently joined the ACI Center after a lengthy tenure with Michigan Technological University, Haughton. “We value our partnership with ASTM and look forward to all we can achieve.”
Under the memorandum, NEU recognizes ASTM International as an Allied Organization, allowing for further collaboration within respective standards development processes; facilitating technical standardization dialogue; and, conducting mutual outreach with key associations. The parties will also seek to leverage the recently launched ASTM Xcellerate technology program to advance core NEU functions. Potential joint activities could include coordinated funding sources for R&D, aligning technology and standards roadmaps, and program development.
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