Coalition enlightens policymakers on trucks’ solid environmental record

A group of transportation interests recently launched the Clean Freight Coalition (CFC) to serve as a collective voice for trucking industry stakeholders. Made up of motor carriers of every size and sector, plus truck manufacturers and dealers, CFC’s mission is to: Educate policy makers on the true progress the trucking industry has made in reducing emissions and protecting the environment;…

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Equipment manufacturers to muster fleet fit for Lincoln, Washington

Astec Industries, Cemen Tech and a host of earthmoving or material handling equipment peers will anchor a Washington, D.C. festival, staged along the National Mall between the Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol. Throughout a May 14-16, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. schedule, “Celebration of Construction” will offer visitors insights on infrastructure, current site practices, equipment and tools, plus technology and data management. …

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U.S. equipment manufacturers resume traditional trajectories

The latest Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) economic impact report on member output, released just ahead of ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023, highlights the industry’s return to growth following the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. Prepared by the S&P Global Market Intelligence Team, it details construction, mining and agriculture equipment manufacturer deliverables. Authors especially note how the equipment manufacturing industry:  Supports 2.35 million…

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e-Ticket integration meets FHWA material invoice processing parameters

Construction materials software developers Sysdyne Technologies and HaulHub Technologies continue platform integration efforts benefitting transportation agency users. Their newest deliverable, Owners Link, is a technical two-way integration between producer point of sale systems and state transportation agency project portals. Owners Link helps ensure a trustworthy source of data records that facilitate payments. Since the first e-Ticketing pilots, HaulHub Technologies notes,…

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Analytics, batteries, CO2, hydrogen power permeate ConExpo-Con/Agg

ConExpo-Con/Agg and International Fluid Power Exposition 2023 booked attendance of nearly 140,000 over a March 14-18 window at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The record-setting events saw 2,400-plus exhibitors from 36 countries present on-, on/off- and off-road fleet or plant equipment and machinery, engine and other vehicle component, plus lubricant and material offerings. Manufacturer, supplier and service provider exhibitors demonstrated…

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Study: Policy actions key to carbon-neutral pavements by 2050

A new study by MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSHub) researchers shows that the annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of all construction materials used in the U.S. pavement network are 11.9-13.3 megatons, equivalent to the output of a gasoline-fueled passenger vehicle logging 30 billion miles. As roads are built, repaved, and expanded, new approaches and thoughtful material choices are necessary to…

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HUD report examines barriers to offsite construction

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in partnership with the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) and MOD X, has released Offsite Construction for Housing: Research Roadmap, a strategic report that presents the key knowledge gaps and research needs to overcome the barriers and challenges to prefabrication methods. High prices for buyers and renters are forcing Americans out…

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Cement plants over-represented in EPA Energy Star Industrial Program

The 86 facilities recognized in the Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star Industrial Program—10 cement plants in eight states among them—are credited with saving more than 100 trillion Btu of energy and preventing 6 million-plus metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2022. The cement and peer plants earned Energy Star certification for operating in the top 25 percent of energy…

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Industrial Demonstrations Program: Deep pockets for decarbonization

Through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the White House is formally proceeding with a previously announced $6 billion funding program to accelerate decarbonization projects in energy-intensive industries and provide American manufacturers a competitive advantage in the emerging global clean energy economy. Funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, 2021) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA, 2022), the Industrial…

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DOE further funds Cemex testing of solar-powered cement clinker process

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $3.2 million to Solar MEAD, a joint project of its New Mexico affiliate, Sandia National Laboratories, Cemex S.A.B. de C.V., and Swiss concentrated solar thermal (CST) technology developer Synhelion. Investigators aim to replace the use of fossil fuels with CST energy to provide the 1,500°C heat required to calcine cement kiln raw feed—limestone,…

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