Climate Week NYC organizers open cement, concrete panels to the public 

Sources: Portland Cement Association, Washington, D.C.; CP staff Climate policy stakeholders will join North American and global cement executives at Climate Week New York City to review how carbon capture technology, alternative fuel and raw material adoption, and government regulations or incentives are helping the industry’s quest for net zero carbon emissions. They will convene 8-11 a.m. on September 19…

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Agency pilots low embodied carbon material requirements

The U.S. General Services Administration has commenced a six-month procurement program to test Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) submittal requirements for asphalt, concrete, glass and steel specified in 11 Inflation Reduction Act-backed building or paving projects. The pilot will generate insights into regional market availability of qualifying products and materials, and inform adjustments that may be needed for a final set…

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Carbon challenge draws SCM, graphene admixture startups

Sources: Global Cement and Concrete Association, London; CP staff The Global Cement and Concrete Association has shortlisted nine North American participants for the 2023 Innovandi Open Challenge. The program unites startups and member producers to pinpoint innovative ways to cut carbon emissions and accelerate GCCA Net Zero 2050 Roadmap progress. Finalists gain access to association member expertise, plants, labs and…

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Eco Material teams with Hive 3D on printed home collection

Sources: Eco Material Technologies, South Jordan, Utah; CP staff Eco Material Technologies and builder Hive 3D have unveiled the first 3D-printed homes at The Casitas @ The Halles, a Round Top, Texas development featuring 400- to 900-sq.-ft. studio, single-bedroom or two-bedroom models. The mortar-like ink for the single-level homes utilizes Eco Material’s PozzoCEM Vite, a full portland cement replacement binder.…

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ASHRAE, ICC weigh response to GHG evaluation standard

Two of the principal organizations driving specifications and practices reflected in a building’s life cycle carbon metrics will review sentiments on their Proposed Standard 240P – Evaluating Greenhouse Gas (GHG) and Carbon Emissions in Building Design, Construction and Operation, posted at osr.ashrae.org. ASHRAE—synonymous with heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration standards—and the International Code Council present a methodology for quantifying…

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MIT CSHub professor encapsulates concrete carbon uptake principles

The process by which cement-based products sequester carbon dioxide is key to understanding the life cycle impacts of the world’s most widely subscribed building material. In a three-point question & answer sequence, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Concrete Sustainability Hub Deputy Director Hessam AzariJafari describes how CO2 uptake is a key lever in the concrete industry realizing carbon neutrality: What is…

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Steelmakers stress performance basis for climate metrics standard

Major concrete rebar producers Commercial Metals Co., Nucor Corp. and Steel Dynamics Inc. lead U.S. members of the Global Steel Climate Council (GSCC), recently chartered to support a standard that “accelerates the transition to low-emission steel and recognizes the potential of the recycled, circular steel model to reduce carbon emissions.” GSCC urges the United States and European Union, representatives of…

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Cemex reaches volume watermark with low carbon concrete mix deliveries

Cemex USA has delivered more than 1 million yd. of Vertua for public and private projects in California, where the lower carbon mix recently debuted as part of the producer’s Future in Action program. When measured on embodied carbon metrics, Vertua offers carbon dioxide emission reduction of at least 30 percent against ordinary portland cement concretes. Golden State customers have…

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CarbonCure streamlines environmental product declaration preparation

Sources: CarbonCure Technologies, Halifax, Nova Scotia; CP staff CarbonCure Technologies has launched a namesake service, Express EPD, with which concrete producers can expedite preparation of verified environmental product declarations (EPD). It  streamlines the complex life cycle assessment process declarations require by automating much of the data collection. Concrete producers can generate accurate, mix-specific EPDs through a secure program at an accessible…

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Investors steer Prometheus Materials’ microalgae-derived binder to market

Sources: Prometheus Materials, Boulder, Colo.; CP staff Prometheus Materials has closed an $8 million initial venture capital funding round to support commercialization of precast elements and a ready mixed material designed with a bio-cement similar to the binder coral and oysters use to form reefs and shells. When mixed with sand and gravel or stone, the bio-cement offers what the…

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