Concrete’s Journey to Carbon Neutrality
In 2012, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) adopted the Architecture 2030 Challenge, which has goals to reduce operational carbon and embodied carbon from the built environment to net zero by 2050. NRMCA has been tracking its members’ environmental impacts since 2014 when it published its first LCA and benchmark report. Measuring carbon footprint over time is a major strategy for meeting a 2050 carbon neutrality goal for the concrete industry.
The Top 10 Ways to Reduce Concrete’s Carbon Footprint:
- Communicate carbon reduction goals
- Ensure good quality control and assurance
- Optimize concrete design
- Specify innovative cements
- Specify supplementary cementitious materials
- Specify admixtures
- Set targets for carbon footprint
- Don’t limit ingredients
- Sequester carbon dioxide in concrete
- Encourage innovation
Through extensive research and groundbreaking technologies, the concrete industry is at the forefront of environmental stewardship. Concrete has one of the lowest carbon footprints of any building material on a per-unit weight basis, and we strive every day to continue reducing our carbon emissions through product innovation, transparency, research, education and collaboration. NRMCA collaborates with design and build teams through its Build With Strength initiative, to adopt innovative products that improve building performance at lower cost, with a reduced carbon footprint.