Sources: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Geneva; CP staff
WBCSD Cement Sustainability Initiative’s (CSI) new Product Category Rules (PCR) for unreinforced concrete offer producers a common methodology to prepare Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for their mixes. CSI membership includes all multinational companies with integrated North American operations: Argos, CRH, Cemex, GCC, Heidelberg, Holcim, Lafarge, Taiheiyo, Titan and Votorantim.
Read MoreSource: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md.
NRMCA has become an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) Program Operator, a designation enabling it to help members meet new requirements in LEED v4, International Green Construction Code (IgCC) and the Architecture 2030 Challenge for Products. EPDs are third-party verified reports published by product manufacturers that provide quality assured and comparable information regarding the environmental performance of their product.
Read MoreSource: Rock Products staff
The number of improving housing markets continued to expand for a third consecutive month in November, rising from 23 to 30 on the latest National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index. The list dropped two metropolitan areas and added nine new ones—Fort Collins, Colo.; Hinesville, Ga.; Davenport, Iowa; Monroe, La.; Lima, Ohio; Williamsport, Pa.; Corpus Christi and Tyler, Texas; and, Cheyenne, Wyo.
Read MoreIn its continuing effort to build earthquake-resistant houses and change construction practice permanently in earthquake-prone developing countries, Build Change, a non-profit social enterprise based in Denver, announced its Commitments to Action at the 2011 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting last month in New York. The organization commits to training vocational teachers in earthquake-resistant building techniques in Indonesia and to improving block-making skills in Haiti.
Read MoreThe value of green building construction during the 2008–2010 slump has grown from $42 billion to $55 billion–$71 billion; represents 25 percent of all new project activity this year; and, is on pace to reach $135 billion in 2015, according McGraw-Hill Construction’s “Green Outlook 2011: Green Trends Driving Growth” report.
Green building is the bright spot in an otherwise tough economy, and in some sectors, report authors contend, growth rate has been remarkable.
The Texas Legislature was on track to close its 2009 session without action on three egregious bills that would have disrupted the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex portland cement supply
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