(J07) Reducing Embodied Carbon in Concrete By 10% Is Easy. The Real Challenge Is The Last 90%.

Concrete is a widely-used construction material and is also is known to significantly contribute to climate change. Cement, the main element of concrete, is responsible it 8% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, marking a significant opportunity for decarbonization. That said, the cement and concrete industries are notoriously difficult to decarbonize. Concrete production involves various processes to convert raw materials into the resources needed, requiring high energy levels and generating a large quantity of carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, a calcination reaction occurs during cement production, which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. All this means that the global warming potential of making result is both the result of the fuel and electricity needed to grind and heat raw materials and direct emissions from the calcination reaction. It’s worth noting that while technologies for decarbonizing concrete and cement exist, they are typically only able to reduce embodied carbon emissions by 10-25%. However, new and soon-to-be-available technologies show the potential to fully decarbonize cement production, representing a significant milestone for the building and construction sector. During this session, material and sustainability experts from the built environment industry will do a deep dive into the critical need and current progress toward the decarbonization of cement and concrete and why it is so difficult to drive large reductions. These thought leaders – Building Transparency’s Dr. Mikaela DeRousseau, Heidelberg Materials’ Ignacio Cariaga and Brimstone’s Dr. Cody Finke – will discuss the feasible upcoming technologies that are helping to accelerate embodied carbon reductions for concrete beyond the first 10%. Then, they will highlight the need for environmental impact accounting and transparency via Environmental Product Declarations and Product Category Rules to improve and build upon these burgeoning technologies and tools.