Legislators in New York and New Jersey are considering bills that would promote the use of low-carbon concrete on state projects.
Both legislative houses in New York have approved a measure that would require the Office of General Services to set guidelines sourcing concrete with lower embodied carbon for state contracts. Contractors would be mandated to follow the guidelines and certify that the concrete they use is in compliance.
In New Jersey, the legislature is deliberating a bill that would establish a discount rate for contractors using low-carbon concrete when they submit bids for state projects. The bidding advantage would be based on the global warming potential values for concrete. The discount could be as much as 8% of the total cost of the project.
The production of cement is estimated to be responsible for as much as 7% of total global carbon emissions. Cement manufacturers have developed portland-limestone cement, a blend with higher limestone content and lower carbon. Another lower carbon manufacturing process uses fly ash to replace as much as 50% of the portland cement in concrete. A third alternative involves injecting carbon dioxide into ready-mix concrete at the batch plant.
Related Stories
| Jun 5, 2012
AGC’s Safety and Health Conference focuses on regulations, legislation
More than 150 industry professionals and other attendees will participate in the Associated General Contractors of America’s (AGC’s) safety and health conference July 11-13 in Washington, D.C.
| Jun 1, 2012
New BD+C University Course on Insulated Metal Panels available
By completing this course, you earn 1.0 HSW/SD AIA Learning Units.
| May 31, 2012
Proposed change in Michigan’s building code would hurt innovation, say critics
Legislation pending before the Michigan Senate would change the law that calls for building codes to be updated every three years to require an update only every six years.
| May 31, 2012
Natural gas industry opposes federal carbon-neutral construction rule
The natural gas industry and some allies are working to block a federal green building rule that was expected to be a national model for carbon-neutral construction.
| May 31, 2012
Lawsuits push the legal boundaries of green building definition
This article explores some legal issues stemming from lawsuits in which plaintiffs have charged developers with not delivering on a promised level of sustainability.
| May 31, 2012
ANSI approves Green Building Initiative’s design standard
The Green Building Initiative (GBI), a Portland, Ore. nonprofit organization, has had its new consensus-based standard for the design, construction, and operations of environmentally friendly buildings approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
| May 31, 2012
USGBC testing Minnesota buildings to see if they are living up to LEED standards
The Minnesota chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has teamed up with EnergyPrint, a St. Paul, Minn. energy consulting firm, to study the energy and water use of more than 150 buildings in the state that have LEED certification.
| May 29, 2012
Reconstruction Awards Entry Information
Download a PDF of the Entry Information at the bottom of this page.