The Portland Cement Association has released a new resource, “Lower Carbon Concrete: Voluntary Guidelines for Developing a Protocol.”
The document provides a critical resource for design professionals, contractors, code officials, elected representatives, non-governmental organizations, and the public to develop a lower carbon concrete protocol.
“The definition of ‘low carbon’ is becoming increasingly subjective, with little attention paid to either upstream and downstream impacts or short-term and long-term strength, durability, and resiliency concerns,” says Mike Ireland, PCA President and CEO. “PCA is leading this effort as part of its ongoing commitment to achieve carbon neutrality.”
A protocol developed with the approach outlined in the voluntary guidelines is intended to lower the carbon of a concrete project without sacrificing long-term performance characteristics, including resilience.
“Today’s climate—bringing the severest weather systems our planet has ever experienced—demands cement manufacturers stay the course in efforts to decarbonize the industry,” says Rick Bohan, PCA senior vice president of sustainability. “The best catalysts to reach net zero that are at hand today are alternative fuels and lower-carbon cements.”
