Researchers are making significant strides in reducing embedded carbon in concrete, but public policies have been slow to adopt this more sustainable option, according to Matthew P. Adams, an associate professor and co-director of the Materials and Structures Laboratory at New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Knowledge and technical data about greener concrete must be more widely dispersed to government decision-makers and industry to foster increased adoption of sustainable concrete, Adams says. “Building codes at the local, state, and national level are slow to permit the use of new technologies in building materials, despite extensive strength and durability testing,” he says.
“Many public agencies and engineering companies are afraid to embrace new methods without strong proof of their long-term durability and performance in real-world applications,” Adams says. But, making “accessible, easily digestible information” about the performance of greener concrete options, how best to specify these materials, and what materials are locally available to policymakers does have an impact, he notes.
For example, officials in the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., committed to promoting the use of low-carbon concrete materials in building and infrastructure projects. They backed up new policy with education and support to the construction industry about low-embodied carbon concrete. These efforts led to multiple local projects built with more environmentally friendly concrete including sidewalks and a new elementary school.
The town’s success led to other New York communities passing similar resolutions. The New York State Legislature subsequently passed the Low Embodied Carbon Concrete Leadership Act to advance the use of greener concrete statewide. Such public policy actions will be needed to take full advantage of the promise of more sustainable concrete materials devised in labs, Adams says.
Related Stories
| Sep 13, 2010
Community college police, parking structure targets LEED Platinum
The San Diego Community College District's $1.555 billion construction program continues with groundbreaking for a 6,000-sf police substation and an 828-space, four-story parking structure at San Diego Miramar College.
| Sep 13, 2010
Conquering a Mountain of Construction Challenges
Brutal winter weather, shortages of materials, escalating costs, occasional visits from the local bear population-all these were joys this Building Team experienced working a new resort high up in the Sierra Nevada.
| Aug 11, 2010
McHugh completes ultra-lux Capella Telluride hotel in Colorado
James McHugh Construction Co. has completed the new Capella Telluride hotel and condominium resort in Telluride, Colo., the first U.S. property for the new ultra-luxury Capella Hotels brand. Positioned to compete with the elite levels of luxury brands, the Capella Telluride features complex stone, stucco and wood exterior, heavy timber construction, and an abundance of high-level finishes and amenities.
| Aug 11, 2010
Bovis Lend Lease, Webcor among nation's largest multifamily contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 50 Multifamily Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Turner edges out Perkins+Will for the top spot on BD+C's Top 200 Building Team LEED APs ranking
With 1,006 LEED Accredited Professionals on staff, Turner Construction took the top spot on Building Design+Construction’s 2009 ranking of AEC firms with the most LEED APs, published as part of the Giants 300 report. Turner added more than 580 LEED APs during the past year to surpass Perkins+Will, which held the top spot four years running.
| Aug 11, 2010
JE Dunn, Balfour Beatty among country's biggest institutional building contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 50 Institutional Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
BIM adoption rate exceeds 80% among nation’s largest AEC firms
The nation’s largest architecture, engineering, and construction companies are on the BIM bandwagon in a big way, according to Building Design+Construction’s premier Top 170 BIM Adopters ranking, published as part of the 2009 Giants 300 survey. Of the 320 AEC firms that participated in Giants survey, 83% report having at least one BIM seat license in house, and nearly a quarter (23%) have 100-plus seats.
| Aug 11, 2010
PCA partners with MIT on concrete research center
MIT today announced the creation of the Concrete Sustainability Hub, a research center established at MIT in collaboration with the Portland Cement Association (PCA) and Ready Mixed Concrete (RMC) Research & Education Foundation.
