Two years of major gestures surrounding greenhouse gas emissions in cement and concrete production or procurement solidify California’s reputation for incubating policy. In October 2021, the California State Senate passed SB 596, charting a regulatory course for Golden State cement producers to attain net-zero carbon operations by 2045. The California Nevada Cement Association concurrently published an SB 596 action plan,…
Read MoreSources: ClimeCo, Boyertown, Pa.; CP staff Sustainability consultant ClimeCo and a stakeholder working group have secured approval of U.S. Low-Carbon Cement Protocol v1.0 by the board of Climate Action Reserve, Los Angeles-based global carbon market offset registry. The 72-page document proposes terms for generating voluntary carbon credits from production of novel alternative or supplementary cementitious materials: Raw or calcined natural…
Read MoreU.S. Department of Energy Deputy Secretary David Turk led off a Climate Week New York City session last month noting how proven processing approaches will enable cement producers to book a 30 percent greenhouse gas emissions reduction by the early 2030s and perhaps an additional 10 percent cut by 2050. The metrics set an upbeat tone for the Portland Cement…
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The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has formally delineated Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements as they relate to concrete materials for Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)-funded building or nonbuilding construction projects. Final BABA sourcing requirement guidance issued last month indicates procurement interpretations relating to cast-in-place and precast concrete. It puts to rest questions surrounding IIJA…
Read MoreSources: 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…
Read MoreSources: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge; CP staff An investigation based at Massachusetts Institute of Technology has revealed the potential of portland cement, water and carbon black, a common industrial mineral resembling ultrafine charcoal, to create a supercapacitor material suited to low-cost storage of energy derived from solar, wind and tidal power sources. MIT and Harvard University researchers see the…
Read MoreSources: Portland Cement Association, Washington, D.C.; CP staff The Portland Cement Association Sustainability Summit, presented August 22-24 from 10 a.m. to Noon via Zoom, will feature member company representatives and industry or government agency allies addressing the five PCA Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality pillars: Clinker, Cement, Concrete, Construction, Carbonation. Open to all stakeholders and interested parties, registration can be obtained here…
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Through their Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality, Portland Cement Association members have committed to developing cutting-edge methods to reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with clinker production and finishing—all while continuing to deliver premium ASTM C 150 output. Such efforts are being tracked on www.CementProgress.com, a new microsite highlighting the industry’s advancements and oriented around the Roadmap pillars of Clinker, Cement, Concrete,…
Read MoreSources: Concrete Advancement Foundation, Alexandria, Va.; CP staff The RMC Research & Education Foundation is now the Concrete Advancement Foundation, a change Executive Director Julie Garbini announced at the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association Board of Directors meeting in Las Vegas. Foundation Trustees approved the move to better reflect their organization’s body of work, which for three decades has helped…
Read MoreThe American Concrete Institute-aligned NEU: Center of Excellence for Carbon Neutral Concrete has named Dean Frank, P.E. as executive director, following prior roles as NEU director of Validation and ACI program developer. He brings extensive experience in sustainability, International Standards Organization standards, and certification development of personnel, products and concrete operations. Prior to ACI, Frank gained a comprehensive working knowledge…
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