Difference between cement & concrete

Cement and Concrete: A Basic Foundation

What are cement and concrete – is there a difference?

Cement is the basic ingredient of concrete, so while these terms are often used interchangeably they are two unique products. Concrete is made when cement is mixed with water, sand and rock.

How is cement made?

Cement is a manufactured product created by a closely controlled chemical combination of calcium, silicon, aluminum, iron and other ingredients.

Common materials used to manufacture cement include limestone, shells, and chalk or marl combined with shale, clay, slate, blast furnace slag, silica sand and iron ore.

These ingredients, when heated at high temperatures form a rock-like substance that is ground into the fine powder that we commonly think of as cement.

Throughout the process, cement plant laboratories check each step with chemical and physical tests to ensure the finished product complies with all industry specifications.

How cement is made more sustainably

Cement producers have a history of reducing carbon emissions and are in constant pursuit of finding ever more innovative and efficient ways of producing the high-quality cement our nation needs for things like homes, highways, hospitals and infrastructure. In fact, cement companies are working toward carbon neutrality across the concrete value chain.

Here’s a look at some of the actions already underway to making cement production more sustainable:

How is concrete made?

Concrete is a mixture of a paste (formed from cement and water) and rocks (smaller aggregates). Cement and water are combined to form a paste that is then mixed with aggregates and coats each stone and sand particle. Through a process called hydration, the cement and water harden and bind the smaller aggregates into a rock-like mass. This hardening process continues for years meaning that concrete gets stronger as it gets older.

While this may seem simple, the key to achieving strong, durable concrete is careful proportioning and mixing of ingredients. Typically, a mix is about 10 to 15% cement, 60 to 75% aggregate and 15 to 20% water. Small air bubbles in many concrete mixes may also take up another 5 to 8%.

There are four different forms of concrete, each with unique properties and applications:

Ready-mix concrete is the most common form and accounts for nearly three-fourths of all concrete. This is the concrete that you see in trucks with revolving drums, often at construction sites.

Precast concrete is shaped in a factory as it requires tight quality control. Precast products range from concrete bricks and paving stones to structural construction components and wall panels. These units can be molded into a wealth of shapes, configurations, colors and textures to serve an infinite spectrum of building applications and architectural needs.

Cement-based materials represent products that defy the label of “concrete,” yet share many of its qualities. Conventional materials in this category include mortar, grout and terrazzo. Soil-cement and roller-compacted concrete—“cousins” of concrete—are used for pavements and dams.

A new generation of advanced products incorporates fibers and special aggregate to create roofing tiles, shake shingles, lap siding and countertops.

Industry leadership

Supporting Our Workforce and Engaging Our Local Communities

The role of cement and concrete producers in enhancing quality of life for communities where they operate

Cement and concrete producers operate throughout the United States – helping build and rebuild our country. In the communities where we operate, we are active partners collaborating with local stakeholders on a variety of issues.

Economy

The cement and concrete industry drives economic growth in local communities and nationally:

• The cement and concrete industry employs 600,000 people in direct jobs that totals more than $8.8 billion in employee wages, in addition to hundreds of thousands of other jobs supported by the industry.
• The cement and concrete industry contributes $100 billion to the U.S. economy each year.
• A strong infrastructure system (drivable roads, safe bridges, resilient structures) enables all facets of our economy to continue running smoothly.

Health

Cement and concrete manufacturers help to ensure the health and safety of local communities through continuous monitoring of natural resources, partnerships with conservation groups and award-winning environmental programs.

• Cement and concrete manufacturers continuously monitor air, soil and water quality near manufacturing facilities and quarries, providing accurate and honest information to government authorities.
• Cement and concrete manufacturers work with communities to reclaim and restore land from depleted quarries and retired manufacturing facilities for new uses, such as wildlife habitats.
• Cement and concrete manufacturers partner with environmental organizations to promote environmental sustainability, nature conservation and biodiversity in our communities.
• The cement and concrete industry ensures consistent worker safety standards in plants, and complies with safety, health and environmental regulations.
• Manufacturing plants uphold a culture of safety through proactive hazard controls, regular team meetings and recurrent employee training focusing on jobsite and driver safety.
• Manufacturing plants have a target of zero injuries and prohibit dangerous working practices.

Education

Cement and concrete manufacturers support science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education through onsite programming, fellowships and sponsorship opportunities.

• The cement and concrete industry funds a variety of educational activities that increase public knowledge on the appropriate uses of cement and concrete by providing scholarships, fellowships, grants, and other support for the study of engineering and the physical sciences relating to the production and use of cement and concrete. Examples include the PCA Research Fellowship and ACI Foundation Fellowships, which provide financial assistance to students attending universities to provide them an opportunity for productive work in the cement and concrete industries.
• Many quarries and manufacturing plants offer onsite programming for students, promoting interactive learning and environmental science education.
• Cement and concrete manufacturers offer workshops and seminars providing academic faculty in engineering, architecture and construction management programs with the tools to teach the latest developments in concrete design, construction and materials.

For more information about how concrete structures protect our community, visit Building Safer, Stronger Communities.

Creating a resilient nation

Enhancing the Way We Access and Manage Water

The role of concrete in providing greater conservation and access to our water resources

Climate change predictions suggest that in the future, our world can expect to experience longer drought periods and larger flood events. With the continuous growth of our global population, the need to conserve and recycle as much fresh water as possible is critical. The structures that allow us to safely store and use water, as well as protect our cities from floods, rely on and are improved by concrete. Concrete structures play a critical role in water resource projects, enabling access to water and improving quality of life.

When creating structures to maintain our access to water, it is important to select a building material that provides the safest, strongest and most durable option. Cement and concrete are the foundation of strong and safe reservoirs, dams and canals.

Reservoirs and storage tanks

Reservoirs store water for irrigation, drinking water, waste management and industrial uses. Cement and concrete are the ideal materials for building reservoirs – cement creates sturdy and nearly impermeable structures, and concrete can withstand great amounts of pressure, so it doesn’t wear down. Concrete can also be used to make storage tanks for clean drinking water. These tanks can be covered and safely store water for long periods of time.

Dams

Dams play a pivotal role in controlling floods and protecting areas in flood plains, as well as providing water for irrigation, drinking or hydro-electric power. The United States currently has more than 80,000 dams in service. Concrete is the material of choice for dams. And while the Hoover Dam is often what comes to mind when people think concrete dam, concrete is also used to reinforce earthen dams too, acting like armor plating to protect earthen dams from washing out or failing when overtopped by floodwaters. For example, concrete lines the emergency spillways in the earthen Oroville Dam – the U.S.’s tallest dam.

Liners

Reservoirs, canals and other water-retaining ground structures need reliable protection from leakage. One way to provide that protection is through the use of concrete liners, which provide both long-term, durable solutions, while also enhancing the performance of the structure.

Liners are employed in a wide variety of applications, including ponds, reservoirs, landfills, canals and facings for dams and spillways. We even see these protective barriers beneath streets, buildings or on the surface of reservoirs to protect from pollution.

For more information about the sustainability properties of concrete, visit Sustainability Practices in the Cement and Concrete Industry.

For more information about the benefits and resilient properties of concrete structures, visit Building Safer, Stronger Communities.

Creating a resilient nation

Building Safer, Stronger Communities

The role of concrete in helping communities withstand natural disasters, ensuring stronger buildings and meeting the challenges of climate change

Concrete structures play a critical role in making communities stronger and safer. Concrete is the best construction material to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events and disasters. When compared to other building materials – there is no contest.

Durability

One word often associated with concrete is durability. There are two aspects of durability. One is the ability to stand up to normal wear and tear and last a long time. The other is to resist extreme events like natural (or man-made) disasters. Concrete is the best choice for construction:

• Concrete lasts longer and costs owners much less in maintenance and repairs over the lifetime of the building.
• It can be used for construction in all climates. It is non-combustible and does not rot, warp, mold or sag when exposed to moisture over time.

Resiliency

One of the safest places to be during a major storm is in a reinforced concrete building. In fact, most safe rooms and shelters are made with concrete. A structure’s resiliency, be it residential, commercial or public property, is determined by whether occupants can safely shelter there during natural disasters, and whether the structure itself can survive. If a structure can be repaired rather than replaced following a disaster, it’s a faster and less expensive return to normal for the residents of the homes and a quick return to business operations for commercial establishments.

Concrete can be incorporated into structures in several ways to make them more durable and disaster resistant:

• Using concrete walls, floors and roofs offers an unsurpassed combination of structural strength and wind resistance.
• Concrete is non-combustible and concrete walls, floors and roofs are given a good fire rating by the International Code Council. Most concrete structures (those with a thickness of 3 to 5 inches) are more fire resistant than structures built with other materials, making them more likely to withstand fires and giving occupants more time to safely evacuate.
• Concrete is not subject to rot, which would occur in wood when exposed to warm, wet conditions.
• Finally, hardened exterior finishes, like those offered by concrete, for walls and roofs of a home or business provide the best combination of strength and security.

Resilient communities start with comprehensive planning and a preference for robust structures with long service lives. More durable buildings with resilient features promote community continuity.

Lifecycle costs

Over the life of a building, the expected cost of maintenance and post-disaster repair can exceed initial building costs—making an economic case for investing up front in resilient construction. Although concrete is cost competitive when making initial decisions about building materials, the overall cost of construction is less about materials and more about labor and time spent making repairs and other upkeep on the structure.

Sustainability through resiliency

The most sustainable building is the building that is only built once. Buildings and structures with resilient design and materials are not only better able to recover following disasters, such as hurricanes or fires, they are also the new “green” buildings. Builders, architects and designers have come to recognize that more durable public buildings, private homes and businesses – often built with concrete to resist damage from natural disasters – also reduce the impact our communities have on our planet.

Resilient structures are good for the planet because their environmental footprint can be spread over many decades. Building more resiliently can help keep materials out of landfills, preventing organic material, such as timber, from decomposing and generating landfill gas (LFG). LFG contains roughly 50% methane, which is more harmful than carbon dioxide.

For more information about how concrete creates resilient transportation networks, visit Connecting Our Transportation Systems.

For more information about the sustainability properties of concrete, visit Sustainability Practices in the Cement and Concrete Industry.

Creating a resilient nation

Connecting Our Transportation Systems

The role of concrete in connecting us to our daily lives and keeping our economy moving

The roadways and airstrips connecting our nation are integral to our society and daily lives. We expect smooth drives and safe landings, yet we rarely stop to think about the foundation of those expectations: the best material that can be used to surface roads, runways and other infrastructure.

Concrete pavements are a staple of our infrastructure – a durable, economical and sustainable solution for our roadways, airstrips, military bases, parking lots and sidewalks. Additionally, concrete pavements offer many safety benefits to drivers.

Durability

Simply put, concrete pavements have the longest lifespan of any paving material. It can withstand the freezing winters of the upper Midwest to the scorching summers of the Southwest, with an average service life of 30 to 50 years.

• A survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation found that concrete pavements last 29.4 years before a major rehabilitation is required – compared to asphalt, which requires major rehabilitation after 13.8 years.

Sustainability

Concrete pavements consume minimal materials, energy and other resources throughout its lifespan, giving it a lower overall energy footprint, and offers better fuel efficiency for drivers. Concrete pavements have a lower energy footprint associated with production, delivery and maintenance than asphalt pavement.

• Concrete’s lighter color reduces the amount of power necessary for illumination and mitigates the urban heat island effect.
• Tires driving over smoother roads get better mileage per tank of gas; the overall better condition of concrete pavement compared to asphalt gives drivers better roads and better mileage.
• Concrete can be 100% recycled at the end of its service life, making it a renewable pavement option.

Economical

Concrete pavements require minimal materials and energy for initial construction and do not require repeated resurfacing, spot repairs or patching. Compared to other road surfacing materials which require constant maintenance, concrete is cheaper to use at the outset and less expensive throughout its lifespan because it does not require extensive upkeep.

• It was estimated that using lifecycle cost analysis for pavements alone can save an average $91 million for every $1 billion spent, or 9.1%, when comparing equivalent concrete and asphalt pavement alternatives.
• The use of concrete pavement is less disruptive to traffic – the construction of concrete pavements does not require lengthy lane closures and roads can be reopened in as short as six hours.
• Concrete pavement can dramatically increase the life of transportation systems, cutting the amount of yearly repairs and spreading them out over longer time periods.

Safety

Concrete pavement offers a number of safety benefits, including:

• Less potential for road hazards. Deteriorating pavement impacts stopping distance and increases the number of work zones for repairs. Because of its longer life, there is less need for closures for repairs. Asphalt pavements require regular maintenance every two to four years to correct rutting, cracking, potholes, and other problems, whereas concrete pavements typically need only minor rehabilitation at 12 to 16 years.
• Better visibility. Concrete pavement is easier to see due to its lighter color and reflects more light, making it easier to see objects on the road as well.
• Greater traction. Concrete pavement ensures shorter vehicle stopping distances in wet weather and features a skid resistant surface. Concrete pavements never rut or “washboard,” like asphalt pavement, and both of these features reduce the dangers of hydroplaning and provide better, long-term traction.

For more information about how concrete contributes to a more resilient nation, visit Building Safer, Stronger Communities.

For more information about the sustainability benefits of concrete pavements, visit Reducing Vehicle Emissions and Improving Fuel Efficiency.

Enhancing sustainability

Sustainability Practices in the Cement and Concrete Industry

The role of concrete in building a low-carbon, circular economy

Every year, the U.S. uses approximately 260 million cubic yards of concrete to build highways, bridges, runways, water and sewage pipes, buildings and homes, dams, sidewalks and driveways. As the second most used material on the planet after water, the U.S. cement industry is committed to minimizing emissions, waste, energy consumption and the use of virgin raw materials.

Cement is becoming more energy efficient – and the industry continues to progress on efficiency

The cement industry began to address climate change in the mid-1990s—one of the first industries to do so.

• The industry has reduced its use of traditional fossil fuels by over 15%.
• In 2020, The Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR^® Program recognized 95 manufacturing facilities in the U.S. as ENERGY STAR^® certified for operating in the top 25 percent of efficiency performance in their respective industry sectors. The cement industry represented 13 of those facilities.
• According to 2019 ENERGY STAR^® data, cement plants have reduced energy-related carbon emissions by 1.5 million metric tons, annually.
• Since 1990 manufacturers have reduced carbon intensity by 11.9% along with general energy consumption while actually increasing production.

Leading the use and development of alternative fuels

The cement industry is a leader in sustainable material and fuel use. In fact, the cement industry expands the circular economy by diverting waste materials from landfills and uses them for fuel or incorporates them as valuable additives.

• Burning alternative fuels in cement kilns like scrap tires, packaging, plastics and solvents conserves valuable fossil fuels while safely destroying wastes that would otherwise be deposited in landfills.
• Elements like aluminum, iron and silica that are used to produce clinker can come from industrial byproducts of the coal and steel industry, creating better and more sustainable uses for these byproducts.
• The Construction Materials Recycling Association estimates that about 140 million tons of concrete are recycled each year in the U.S., reducing the environmental impact of construction projects.

Lowering emissions in buildings and our urban environments

The durability, resiliency and insulating qualities of cement-related products lower our environmental footprint as a society. Considered across their full lifecycle, cement and concrete building materials are also valuable contributors to a low-carbon circular economy.

• According to the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub, by adopting the latest building codes and concrete mixes, emissions from U.S. office buildings could decrease by 12%.
• Concrete does not rust, rot or burn, saving energy and resources needed to replace or repair damaged buildings and infrastructure.
• Concrete makes urban areas cooler as its lighter color reflects more sunlight than other, darker materials.
• Because of its durability, concrete structures will not require additional carbon release to produce additional materials used for repairs.
• Over time, concrete actually absorbs carbon dioxide from the ambient air, returning a portion of emissions from the cement manufacturing process to the building itself.
• In fact, for all of the concrete produced in the U.S. between 1990 and 2018, more than 300 million metric tons of carbon dioxide will be adsorbed and sequestered by concrete over its service life.

Sustaining our transportation network

A well-functioning transportation network is the backbone of the U.S. economy and essential for U.S. businesses to compete globally and provide the best value to American consumers.

• Because of its rigidity, concrete pavement can enhance the fuel efficiency of vehicles that travel on concrete pavement roads when compared to other pavements.
• Concrete structures, including pavement, are long-lived – concrete pavement has an average service life of 30-50 years.
• Concrete pavement is less susceptible to damage from heavy vehicles and requires little to no maintenance throughout its service life.
• Concrete pavements do not require lengthy lane closures, with roads able to reopen within as little as six hours. This reduces time-in-traffic auto emissions.

For more information about how concrete is the best choice for sustainable pavements, visit Reducing Vehicle Emissions and Improving Fuel Efficiency.

Enhancing sustainability

Reducing Vehicle Emissions and Improving Fuel Efficiency

The role of concrete in improving the efficiency of our roads

Fuel consumption and related emissions from vehicles depend on a number of factors like the size of the vehicle and the type of engine, but most drivers might be surprised to learn that the quality of the roads we drive on also impacts the amount of fuel our vehicles use. On roads where surface conditions are poor, vehicles consume more fuel beyond what is actually needed to move, which leads to excess fuel consumption and emissions.

Damaged city roads can increase the amount of fuel used – and the associated greenhouse gas emissions – by as much as 15%.^[1]

Concrete offers the most fuel-efficient pavement option. Because of its rigidity, concrete pavement can enhance the fuel efficiency of vehicles that travel on concrete pavement roads when compared to other pavements, and due to its durability, it requires less frequent maintenance and doesn’t wear down as quickly as other pavements.

If concrete pavements were used by the entire U.S. road system, fuel consumption is estimated to decrease by 3% nationwide, which corresponds to a reduction of approximately 46.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.^[2]

Three key pavement factors affect a vehicle’s fuel efficiency

• The roughness of the road, commonly seen and felt as cracks and potholes
• The texture of the road’s surface, which impacts traction when wet
• The likelihood that the pavement will bend under the weight of the vehicles

As these three factors create additional, unnecessary friction for vehicles and reduce their fuel efficiency, optimizing pavement conditions can reduce carbon dioxide emissions. There are two strategies for creating more optimal pavement conditions: build stiffer pavements and maintain smoother pavements – and concrete pavement offers both.

Facts and stats

Studies across the U.S. have shown the impact of poor pavements:

• An analysis of approximately 50,000 miles of highway in California found that over a five-year period 1 billion gallons of excess fuel was used.
• A study of 5,000 miles of Virginia’s interstate highways found that excessive fuel consumption resulted in 1 million tons of carbon dioxide over a seven-year period.
• When looking at 40-ton trucks (used for freight and trucking), decreasing the impacts of deflection through stiffer roads can lead to a fuel savings of up to 4%, which translates to 2 million tons of carbon dioxide.

For additional information, please visit the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub.

For more information about the sustainability properties of concrete, visit Sustainability Practices in the Cement and Concrete Industry.

Uncategorized

Concrete Creates Sustainable and Environmentally Responsible Infrastructure

Looking at the full lifecycle of infrastructure, concrete and cement enhance sustainability

QUICK FACTS

Concrete made with cement is the most used man-made product in the world. As climate concerns grow, these foundational materials are uniquely positioned to help us meet the challenges of a more sustainable world.

Carbon dioxide emissions from all sources, including the building sector, are receiving increased attention. While the cement industry was one of the first to acknowledge climate change issues and implement tangible steps to reduce emissions through programs focused on process and energy efficiency, the major sustainability benefits of concrete made with cement are not widely known.

Concrete and cement play an important role in our economy and are an essential part of a sustainable future.

We need to take a lifecycle approach

In order to truly determine which building materials are the most sustainable, we must consider them in terms of their entire lifecycle, that is, from sourcing and production through end use and disposal. Specifically, for building materials such as concrete, wood, steel and glass, the best way to measure environmental impact is by looking at their embodied carbon and energy.

Embodied carbon is all the carbon dioxide emitted and energy expended during the sourcing, manufacture, transport, construction use, reuse, recycling and disposal of building materials.

Why a lifecycle approach?

Looking at just one stage of a material’s service life is not an accurate measure of how much carbon dioxide or energy is expended in relation to that material and it is misleading when we think about solving a complex challenge such as climate change.

Although cement’s carbon footprint for production is higher than some other materials, concrete itself has a low carbon footprint. In fact, concrete has similar embodied carbon (e.g., carbon per kilogram of concrete) to most common building materials, but its impact appears much greater because we use so much of it – it’s the second most consumed material on Earth after water. Concrete’s global prevalence is for good reason – it is available, durable, versatile and cost-effective. It is also sustainable, playing a part in limiting or reducing building emissions and being 100% recyclable.

A lifecycle assessment of several building types conducted by MIT has shown that embodied environmental impacts of buildings are around 10% of the total lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions; energy use (such as heating, cooling and maintenance of the building) represents the vast majority of environmental impacts. Simply put, the impact of creating a building is just a small part of the picture, compared to the energy and emissions required to operate the building over its life.

Production (the 10%)

Cement and concrete production is heavily regulated and monitored, with standards in place for each step in the manufacturing process to measure and understand environmental impact. But production within other building material industries is not always monitored in the same way. Often the energy and emissions associated with sourcing materials and transportation, such as in the timber industry, is not considered when measuring embodied carbon.¹

In addition, cement and concrete production offers opportunities for innovation and increased efficiency. As part of their ongoing work to lower emissions, many cement manufacturers have recently introduced a type of cement called portland-limestone cement in the U.S., which lowers carbon dioxide emissions about 10% during production. Many have also incorporated alternative fuels like biomass and waste materials into production, which are less carbon intensive and result in lower emissions. Additionally, promising innovations such as carbon capture and storage technology are being evaluated which can help cement plants reduce their overall carbon footprint.

Construction and use (the other 90%)

The most sustainable building is one that you only have to build once and can maintain efficiently. Durability and resilience are vital parts of sustainable construction, as insufficient durability or resilience may result in a reduced building life, unexpected repairs or even total reconstruction, with all their associated costs and social impacts. Concrete structures typically have a longer service life than ones made with steel and timber, as they do not rust or rot and are pest resistant. Moreover, concrete structures can be repurposed avoiding having to destroy and reconstruct buildings using new materials which would create pollution and use more energy.

Use

Over the course of a concrete building’s lifecycle, concrete is continually absorbing and trapping carbon dioxide from the air and offsets more than 11% of the carbon dioxide emitted to produce it. Importantly, concrete will not burn, rust, rot, or re-release that carbon dioxide back into the environment.

Wood, the only other construction material that can sequester carbon dioxide, captures carbon dioxide while the tree is alive and will emit that carbon dioxide if it rots or burns.

Cement and concrete building materials also exhibit excellent thermal insulating mass, improving the energy efficiency of buildings. Studies by MIT have shown that homes with concrete walls can use 8 to 15% less energy than other homes.²

End of Life

Concrete’s unparalleled durability enables buildings to be reused and repurposed, extending the lifespan of construction and reducing waste over time. Additionally, concrete is 100% recyclable – structures built from concrete can be crushed and recycled for other functions without material loss or pollution. Every exposed concrete surface absorbs carbon dioxide and deconstructing a concrete building and crushing the concrete into pieces offers the potential for greater carbon dioxide uptake.

When determining which building materials to use for our infrastructure, we must look at the entire life cycle of the structure (building, road, bridge) to understand how the materials it’s made from impact its use phase. Only then can we make informed decisions to move us closer to our sustainable development and emissions reductions goals.

For more information about the full lifecycle impact of cement and concrete, visit Cement and Concrete Lifecycle.

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How We Will Get to Carbon Neutral Concrete By 2050

Michael Ireland
President and CEO at Portland Cement Association

The cement and concrete industry is taking significant steps toward addressing climate change and emissions. Late last year, the Portland Cement Association announced plans to develop a roadmap for its member companies to achieve carbon neutrality across the concrete value chain by 2050.

To reach this goal, it is imperative that we have partnership from stakeholders along the concrete value chain; we cannot address this problem alone. Only by working together as an industry can we hope to realize the multitude of solutions that must be developed across policies and regulations, technology and innovation and demand generation.

The United States industry aligning under a formal and measurable commitment to reduce emissions comes at a critical time in our country. As the U.S. transitions into a Biden administration, our industry is optimistic about the potential of environmental progress being made in a bipartisan manner. We are hopeful for the opportunity to further collaborate with federal officials and work together to achieve our shared climate goals.

Additionally, the economic and health crisis brought on by COVID-19 represents an opportunity to build back better. Responsible leadership in the manufacturing and use of cement and concrete will be a critical part of creating a more sustainable built environment and future. After all, cement and concrete are the foundation of our homes, connect our communities, encourage trade and enable prosperity.

The cement and concrete industry will be a leading voice in enabling the construction sector to rise and meet this challenge. With the formation of PCA’s new Sustainability Council, comprised of sustainability experts from our members companies, and with input from external experts, we will develop the roadmap that will guide us on perhaps the most ambitious decarbonization journey ever attempted.

Cement manufacturers have a history of innovation and modernization. Cement and concrete was one of the first industries to address climate issues in the mid-1990’s reducing energy consumption by more than 35% while actually increasing production. Investing in new innovative technologies and working with academic partners like the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub will be key to ongoing research efforts. The roadmap will also explore how to stimulate demand for low-carbon materials, from building awareness to educating architects and developers on the latest sustainable options. We are proud to accelerate those efforts even further by developing this roadmap toward carbon neutrality.

We are committed to addressing climate change and supporting a sustainable circular economy, and this roadmap will enable PCA’s member companies to continue building a better future.

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The Most Sustainable Building is One That Only Needs to be Built Once

Ron Henley
President – GCC of America
Portland Cement Association (PCA) Chairman of the Board

Concrete is a key part of building a resilient future, providing unparalleled durability, strength, and security. Not only is concrete better able to withstand normal wear and tear, but it also enhances the ability of our communities to withstand natural disasters worsened by climate change by reducing the risk of significant damage; protecting us against high winds, fires, and storm surges; and lowering the time and costs needed to rebuild communities.

When it comes to resiliency – which is measured by whether building occupants can safely shelter during natural disasters and whether the structure itself can survive – concrete is the most resilient building material. If a structure can be repaired rather than replaced following a disaster, it is faster, less expensive and more energy efficient return to normalcy for cities, residents, and business operations.

Increased durability from concrete provides economic benefits, especially in disaster-prone areas: every $1 spent on resilient building and construction can save $6 in recovery costs according to a recent study by the National Institute of Building Sciences. Furthermore, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts predict more storms and major hurricanes than average this year. Considering that from 2015-2019 there have been at least 10 disaster events each causing over $1 billion in damage, savings from resilient concrete construction can quickly scale up.

Since the expected cost of maintenance and post-disaster repairs can exceed initial building costs, the economic case for resilient construction using concrete is simple: a small investment up front pays exponential dividends throughout the life of a building. Even with those benefits, studies have shown concrete to be cost competitive to other building materials at every level of resilience.

Builders, architects, and designers have come to recognize that buildings and homes built with concrete are more durable and resistant damage from natural disasters. Resilient structures also benefit our planet because their environmental footprint can be spread over several decades. Concrete truly offers the best mix of safety, resiliency, affordability, and sustainability.

As the most widely used construction material, concrete is readily available, cost competitive with steel and wood, and resilient. And it will continue to have a key place in creating a resilient – and sustainable – future.

If you would like to learn more about the resiliency of concrete or our campaign, please visit Shaped by Concrete

Creating a resilient nation

Reducing Carbon Footprint with PLC

A new ‘greener’ cement supports sustainability efforts

Concrete is ubiquitous in our daily lives and a key part of building sustainable, resilient communities. The cement and concrete industry is committed to research and innovation to evolve and provide solutions to continue to improve upon these essential materials, helping to create a more environmentally responsible future.

Portland-limestone cement (PLC) is a type of cement that has been common internationally for decades but is relatively new to North America. PLC’s main benefit is a lower carbon footprint, reducing carbon dioxide emissions during production by 10% on average. In fact, by shifting production to PLC, manufacturers have already reduced carbon dioxide emissions by more than 325,000 metric tons in the U.S. from 2012-2018, equivalent to carbon stored in over 400,000 acres of forest.

Concrete is the most used building material in the world and a key part of U.S. infrastructure because it is durable; resilient; does not rust, rot or burn; and can withstand powerful storms. Now, it is also greener.

What are the benefits?

How does it work?

PLC is produced in a way that is very similar to traditional portland cement, the only difference being more limestone is used during the mixing process, resulting in a reduction in carbon dioxide intensity.

PLC has undergone extensive testing and research in the U.S. and other countries to ensure its durability and resiliency. PLC also is simple to switch to as it is a 1:1 replacement for traditional portland  cement. This allows users to continue their standard operations with minimal disruption and change. The decrease in carbon emissions makes PLC a more sustainable, yet equally resilient and dependable option as a building material.

As we continue to rely on concrete to support our thriving cities, the cement and concrete industry is ensuring that the second most used materials in the world continues to evolve and become more sustainable. Because of the frequency that concrete is used, even small changes to its formulation, making it greener, can have a dramatic impact on emissions.

To learn more about PLC, visit greenercement.com.

For more information about the sustainability properties of concrete, visit Sustainability Practices in the Cement and Concrete Industry.

For more information about the impact of cement and concrete across their full lifecycle, visit Concrete Creates Sustainable and Environmentally Responsible Infrastructure.

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A ‘Greener’ Cement Supporting Sustainability and Reducing Carbon Footprint

Filiberto Ruiz
President and Chief Executive Officer, Votorantim Cimentos North America
Vice Chairman, PCA Board of Directors

Concrete is ubiquitous in our daily lives. As the world’s most-used man-made material, it is an essential part of infrastructure improvements and new construction throughout North America. Concrete is durable; resilient; doesn’t rust, rot, or burn; and can withstand powerful storms. Now, it is also greener.

Portland-limestone cement (PLC) is a type of cement that has been common internationally for decades but is still relatively new to North America. PLC’s main benefit is a lower carbon footprint, with CO₂ emissions reduced during production by 10% on average. In fact, by shifting production to PLC, manufacturers have already reduced CO₂ emissions by more than 325,000 metric tons in the U.S. from 2012-2018 — equivalent to the amount of CO₂ stored in over 400,000 acres of forest — without sacrificing the material’s physical properties needed for their projects.

Here are a few examples how PLC is already helping reduce CO₂ emissions in the U.S.:

• Using PLC contributed to a 50% lower carbon footprint for Mississippi State University’s Davis Wade Stadium.
• Using PLC to build new bridge decks, the Tennessee Department of Transportation saved about 50 lbs. of CO₂ for each cubic yard of concrete – the equivalent of the energy emissions from charging 2,892 smartphones.
• Using PLC to construct the University of California, San Diego biomedical research facility resulted in a 160-ton reduction in CO₂ emissions, which is equal to the energy emissions from burning 176,298 lbs of coal.
• The ongoing construction of the Drexel University Academic Tower is using PLC and saving about 370 tons of CO₂ emissions – equivalent to energy emissions from 41,634 gallons of gasoline consumed.

 
These examples prove that as we continue to rely on concrete to support our thriving cities and rural areas, the cement and concrete industry is working diligently to ensure the building materials we need are becoming more sustainable. Because of the scale at which concrete is used, even small changes to its formulation to make it greener can have a dramatic positive impact on emissions.

PLC is produced in a way that is very similar to traditional portland cement, the only difference being more limestone is used during the mixing process, resulting in a reduction in CO₂ intensity.

PLC has undergone extensive testing and research in the United States and other countries to ensure its durability and resiliency. Builders and designers can expect the same strength with minimal disruption and change to their projects. The decrease in CO₂ emissions makes PLC a more sustainable, yet equally resilient and dependable option as a building material.

The cement and concrete industry is committed to continuing research and innovation to provide greener solutions to improve upon these essential materials, helping to create more sustainable communities and an environmentally responsible future for our planet.

To learn more specifics about portland-limestone cement, visit greenercement.com. And, to Learn more about the cement and concrete industry’s commitment to sustainability visit shapedbyconcrete.com.

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Paving the Way to a Sustainable Future

Tom Beck
President, Continental Cement

Concrete is the foundation of our transportation system – forming the roads, bridges and runways that connect us across the nation. It is also the foundation of a sustainable transportation system, playing a role in cutting vehicle emissions and energy expended on maintenance.

Fuel consumption and vehicle emissions depend on factors like vehicle size and engine type. However, drivers might be surprised to learn the condition of the roads we drive on also impacts our vehicles’ fuel efficiency. In fact, damaged pavements can increase fuel use – and their associated greenhouse gas emissions – by as much as 15%.

There are three factors that create additional, unnecessary friction for vehicles leading to reduced fuel efficiency:

1. The roughness of the road, commonly seen and felt as cracks and potholes.
2. The texture of the road, which impacts noise, smoothness, and traction.
3. The stiffness of the road, affecting the amount to which a pavement bends under the weight of vehicles.

To create more optimal pavement conditions, we must build and maintain stiffer and smoother roads – and concrete pavement meets both criteria.

Concrete pavements can prove a useful solution for transportation departments, and therefore states, to meet emissions targets by reducing the fuel consumption of the vehicles that drive on them.

Studies across the U.S. have shown the impact of rough pavements on the environment. In an analysis of Missouri’s highway network, researchers found that improving the state’s roads with smoother more durable pavement would result in significant emissions reductions of 29.9 million metric tons of C02[1]. This would be the equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions from 6.4 million passenger vehicles in one year.

According to research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Concrete Sustainability Hub, if concrete pavements comprised the entire U.S. road system, fuel consumption would decrease by an estimated 3% nationwide, because concrete roads are inherently smooth and stiff. This decrease in fuel consumption corresponds to a reduction of approximately 46.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, annually.

Not only do concrete pavements contribute to reduced emissions, the fact that they also have the longest lifespan of any paving material makes them the most sustainable paving option. A survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation found that concrete pavements last an average of 29.4 years before a major rehabilitation is required. Due to their durability, they do not deteriorate as quickly as other pavement types and requires less frequent maintenance – which saves energy and emissions associated with that upkeep.

When I think about paving the way to a more sustainable future, it is literally shaped by concrete.

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Building More Sustainable Infrastructure

Sean O’Neill
SVP Government Affairs, PCA

Last month, President Biden announced a sweeping $2 trillion/8-year infrastructure plan which included repairs to roads and bridges, jump starting transit projects and rebuilding schools and hospitals. This plan also called for every dollar spent to be used to prevent, reduce and withstand the impacts of the climate crisis. Additionally, Republicans in the Senate recently proposed a $568 billion/5-year infrastructure plan and House and Senate Committees are currently drafting multi-year surface transportation authorization bills.

In addition to the prospect of Federal action on infrastructure this year, the U.S. is projected to add 121 billion square feet of buildings by 2050, the equivalent of constructing New York City every year for the next 20 years, leading to what will likely be unprecedented level of construction, maintenance and renovations.

Cement and concrete are uniquely positioned to help quickly and cost-effectively meet these infrastructure demands and sustainability requirements. Concrete made with cement is a proven material – it’s strong and durable, requires minimal repairs over its lifetime, and improves the thermal mass of buildings, helping them be more energy efficient. The industry is also committed to reducing its emissions and achieving carbon neutrality across the concrete value chain – something that will require partnerships from legislators and regulators.

At the end of April, the industry hosted a virtual Fly In, meeting with members of Congress to discuss how we can reinvest in American infrastructure, jobs and build for a sustainable future.

Concrete is the second most-utilized material in the world (after water) and the U.S. uses about 260 million cubic yards of concrete each year. We have been working to reduce emissions in our own industry and throughout the built environment for years and are currently developing  a roadmap to bring us to carbon neutrality by 2050. Through innovative technology, increased use of alternative fuels and lower carbon cement options, we can achieve carbon neutrality across the cement and concrete value chain. Now we need policymakers to invest too and create policies and regulations that spur innovation and drive demand for low-carbon cement.

There are multiple levers to reducing emissions in the cement industry. One that would make an immediate impact is increasing use and specification of alternative cement blends such as portland limestone cement (PLC), which takes less energy to produce and can reduce emission by up to 10%. However, currently, PLC is not able to be used in many states. That can be remedied with policy makers encouraging DOT’s to allow for the use of and increase the uptake of this cement blend.

Another way to further reduce emissions in the near-term would be to approve the use of alternative fuels such as unrecyclable plastics, carpet remnants and tires, which are less carbon intensive than traditional fossil fuels and keep the materials out of landfills.

Long term, the industry and the government need to invest in emerging technologies for carbon capture. In order to meet the carbon reduction targets, this technology is crucial and will make up the bulk of emissions reductions.

As is often the case, sustainability improvements beget cost savings too, reducing energy use in buildings or gas consumed by cars saves building residents and drivers money. Over the long-term, building with concrete saves money:  every $1 spent on resilient building and construction – such as structures made with reinforced concrete – can save $6 in recovery costs in the event of a natural disaster; and the same goes for pavements as concrete’s typical lifespan of 30 to 50 years can give the public more years of service per dollar spent than other materials.

The road to sustainable development requires continued collaboration from government, industry, academia and the private sector to continue innovation in building materials that enable sustainable development while meeting greenhouse gas reduction targets. Concrete can be an important foundation of that road.

To learn more about the cement and concrete industry’s commitment to sustainability visit shapedbyconcrete.com.

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Join Our Ambition to Reach Carbon Neutrality Across the Concrete Value Chain

In late 2020, the Portland Cement Association (PCA) released a climate ambition statement: PCA and its members will develop a roadmap by the end of 2021 to facilitate member companies achieving carbon neutrality across the concrete value chain by 2050.

This roadmap will guide us on perhaps the most ambitious decarbonization journey ever attempted. The entire value chain of clinker, cement, concrete, construction, and carbonation (concrete as a carbon sink) is an integral part of tomorrow’s circular economy and each area has its own part to play. This roadmap enables the construction sector to meet this sustainability goal and collaboration with industry and private partners will be imperative to realize the multitude of solutions outlined.

We invite stakeholders along this value chain to join this ambition to realize carbon neutrality not just in one sector but across the full concrete value chain.

Cement and concrete have been pivotal in building resilient communities that enable people to live safe, productive and healthy lives via structures that withstand natural and man-made disasters. PCA members are committed to delivering products that meet those needs as well as drive down emissions and achieve the industry’s environmental goals.

This roadmap enables our member companies and partners along the concrete value chain to continue building a better future, shaped by concrete. On behalf of America’s cement manufacturers, we hope you will join us on this journey.

Learn more about the five aspects of decarbonization that make up our roadmap.

Sign up below to receive detailed updates on the cement and concrete industry’s roadmap in the coming months and how we plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

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Cement and Concrete’s Year-Round Health and Safety Culture

Chris Ward
President and CEO Lehigh Hanson, Inc.

June is National Safety Month, and for cement and concrete manufacturers, health and safety are not just business priorities, but values that set the tone of who we are as an industry. A strong culture of health and safety starts at the top and grows when employees at all levels are committed to voicing concerns, identifying hazards, and stopping unsafe practices while also proactively looking at ways to improve in these areas. Safety Month is certainly a time to emphasize these commitments within our own businesses, but the cement and concrete industry has thrived for over a hundred years because health and safety with an attitude of “do the right thing every day” permeate every aspect of our culture and operations.

Currently, our industry has many practices in place that foster the health, safety and vitality of our workforce. Establishing clear and enforceable policies, training workers to identify hazards before entering work areas, staying diligent about equipment maintenance, and ensuring all personnel have appropriate and well-fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) are all essential. The aggressive actions taken industry-wide to prevent the spread of COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic also exemplify our commitment to health and safety. Our people are our most valuable asset and thanks to the cement and concrete industry’s strong existing safety culture, we were able to act quickly and effectively to keep our workers safe.

By utilizing and enforcing rigorous standards within our plants, we are able to reduce injuries, ensure employee well-being and routinely work with local, state and federal regulatory agencies to successfully operate as an essential sector during this critical time.

It is our duty to continually improve our health and safety practices. We do not view health and safety improvements as proprietary, but rather seek opportunities to share best practices across the industry to elevate practices for our entire workforce. Lehigh Hanson is an active member of the Portland Cement Association’s (PCA) Occupational Health and Safety Committee, which spans the industry and is a resource to all PCA member companies. The committee also partners with regulating agencies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to find ways to share health and safety information and advancements.

Our industry is committed to collaborating on impactful initiatives and PCA continually offers resources to educate our workforce on the latest health and safety topics.

While we live these values every day, June is an important reminder that our industry is made up of 600,000 individuals, and it’s our job to ensure that each employee goes home at the end of the day healthy and whole.

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Alternative Fuels Key to Quickly Lowering Industrial Emissions

Massimo Toso, President and CEO, Buzzi Unicem USA
PCA Climate and Sustainability Council Co-Chair

It is critical that we urgently take steps to address sustainability and climate change, executing both near-term and long-term solutions. Particularly if we are to make progress on the Biden Administration’s target to achieve significant greenhouse gas reductions by 2030, industry, private and public companies, and the government must all work together. One quick action that would both cut manufacturing emissions and reduce waste materials in landfills would be to increase industry’s access to, alternative fuels. Industries, such as cement manufacturing, operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so increasing the use of industrial and commercial byproducts as fuels could lower emissions nearly 15% by 2050.

Such reductions are possible – and necessary – given the volume of cement and concrete needed for our nation’s critical infrastructure. Concrete, made with cement, is the second most consumed material in the world (after water) and is vital to our nation’s communities, forming the foundation of roads, bridges, runways and life-sustaining infrastructure. According to the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub, the U.S. is projected to add 121 billion square feet of buildings by 2050, and that is not including expanding and rehabbing existing infrastructure like roads and bridges under the Senate’s $579 billion infrastructure proposal expected to be passed later this year. The Portland Cement Association estimates U.S. cement consumption to reach a level of 143 million metric tons by 2040.

Today, alternative fuels make up only about 13.5% of the fuel used by domestic cement manufacturers, compared to more than 36% in the EU – even up to 60% in Germany. U.S. cement plants began adopting alternative fuels as early as the 1970s, so why do we lag behind other regions in greater use of alternative fuels?

Burdensome regulations – cement manufacturers face unnecessary legal and regulatory restrictions from the Clean Air Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act on the types of low-carbon fuels they can use. The cement industry has adopted the use of some alternative fuels, but further emissions reductions remain constrained by outdated regulations.

Use of alternative fuels not only reduces the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs), it also diverts materials from landfills, reduces environmental risks by storing less waste, brings industry into the circular economy and gives materials that had otherwise reached their end-of-life another use. If the Biden administration were to modernize regulations to allow for the use of non-hazardous paper, plastics and fibers as fuels, and ease the regulatory definition of discarded materials to encourage the use of recycled materials as fuels, cement manufacturers could help divert landfilled waste, contributing to a circular economy by avoiding the energy needed to process virgin materials.

As the industry works to further reduce environmental impacts, now is the time for regulators and policy makers to take the necessary steps that will unlock alternative fuels. In partnership with Congress, the Biden administration and EPA leaders, we hope to enable greater access to such fuels and ultimately realize reduced emissions – while finding a productive use for the nation’s waste materials.

Blog

Achieving Climate Goals is a Shared Ambition – Government Collaboration Can Speed Up the Cement and Concrete Industry’s Targets

Eric Holard
CEO US – National Cement Company
PCA Climate and Sustainability Council Co-Chair

The recent IPCC report has made unequivocally clear that efforts to address climate change must be accelerated. President Biden has set an ambitious target for the United States – to halve emissions by 2030 – but for that to mesh with the Administration’s infrastructure plan, the cement and concrete industry needs to reduce the impacts of carbon at scale, today and in the future. Portland Cement Association (PCA), which represents the majority of U.S. cement production capacity and has member facilities all around the country, is developing a roadmap to carbon neutrality across the entire cement and concrete value chain. This roadmap is a comprehensive plan for the industry to reach achievable carbon reduction targets. However, collaboration with government stakeholders is a necessity to achieve this ambitious goal, and the manufacturers’ ability to reduce emissions is dependent upon adapted regulations and support from institutions.

The U.S. is predicted to add 121 billion square feet of buildings by 2050, the equivalent of constructing New York City every year for the next 20 years, according to the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub. The federal government is also poised to spend hundreds of billions on reviving infrastructure, rehabilitating existing roads and bridges, and expanding construction in growing cities.

Development at this scale means we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to set a global example on building sustainably. Concrete is the only material that can meet the infrastructure rehabilitation and expansion demands at scale while providing resiliency and mitigating the effects of climate change. Additionally, with concrete, we have the opportunity to build with a material that also absorbs CO2 out of the air through a process called carbonation; carbon uptake in cement-based infrastructure can offset emissions from manufacture.

Fellow PCA member and Climate and Sustainability Council co-chair Massimo Tosso detailed last month how updating regulations on alternative fuels could decrease production emissions. Allowing recovered waste materials to be recycled as fuel would enable cement manufacturers to dramatically reduce production emissions and using these materials as fuel would divert them from landfills, avoiding decomposition and methane release.

There’s more that government can partner on to spur near- and long-term emissions reduction strategies.

Many opportunities to reduce emissions are ready to be implemented and only require federal or local government assistance. For example, portland limestone cement (PLC), a cement mix that reduces emissions up to 10% with equivalent performance and at a competitive cost, is available at scale today —but the demand is not there. If state departments of transportation (DOTs), which are some of the nation’s largest consumers of cement, encouraged the increased adoption of PLC by just 10% by 2030 we could reduce nearly 10 million metric tons of CO2 over that time frame.

Over 35 state DOTs already allow for the use of PLC, but we need them to actively specify it as a requirement for their infrastructure projects to drive down emissions. These short-term actions will be critical to meeting the Biden administration’s goal of halving emissions by 2030.

We must also invest in long-term strategies and PCA continues to be heavily involved in research and development of emerging and innovative technologies like carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS). However, regulatory hurdles are disincentivizing the development and adoption of CCUS. We still need to research how to best install CCUS technology at cement plants to maximize efficiency and efficacy. We also need to know where and how captured emissions will be stored.

Collaboration from government is needed to scale up these technologies as well as create a national system low-carbon infrastructure for the transport, utilization, and/or sequestration of captured carbon and generation, transmission, and distribution of low-carbon power and fuels.

PCA’s roadmap will guide what may be the most ambitious journey to carbon neutrality ever attempted by any heavy industry. But we cannot do it alone—we can reduce emissions much faster through collaboration with industry and private partners. And we need alignment from government, industry, and technology leaders on both short- and long-term solutions, regulations, and policy changes.

Blog

Concrete is Critical to Climate-Friendly Infrastructure

Rick Bohan, Vice President of Sustainability
The Portland Cement Association

The U.S. is predicted to build the equivalent of another New York City every year through 2041. Development at this scale means we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to set a global example on building sustainably, utilizing new approaches and advocating for updated technology.

The Portland Cement Association (PCA), which represents the majority of U.S. cement production capacity and has member facilities around the country, is developing a roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality across the cement and concrete value chain. This is a plan for the industry to reduce the carbon impacts of cement and concrete at scale – today and in the future.

PCA’s Roadmap will guide what may be the most ambitious journey to carbon neutrality ever attempted by heavy industry. But we cannot do it alone, and there is no silver bullet solution. We can, however, reduce emissions much faster through collaboration with industry and private partners. And we need alignment from government, industry and technology leaders on both short- and long-term solutions, regulations and policy changes.

The Roadmap outlines both near and longer term solutions to reduce emissions along the cement-concrete-construction value chain. In fact, lower carbon cement and concrete are available today and through collaboration the benefits of these products can be scaled up. For example, portland limestone cement (PLC) is a cement mix that helps reduces emissions up to 10% with equivalent performance and at a competitive cost. If departments of transportation (some of the nation’s largest consumers of cement) encouraged increasing the adoption of PLC by just 10% by 2030 we could reduce nearly 106 million metric tons of CO2 over that timeframe.

Today, alternative fuels comprise about 13.5% of the fuel used by domestic cement manufacturers, compared to more than 36% in the EU – even up to 60% in Germany. U.S. cement plants began adopting alternative fuels as early as the 1970s, so why do we lag behind other regions? Outdated regulations, which currently prohibit innovative approaches to reducing fuel emissions through increased use of materials such as tire-derived fuel, nonrecycled plastic and paper, and other secondary materials as fuel. Using these materials as fuel would divert them from landfills, avoiding decomposition and the release of methane.

Another innovative approach to bringing cement manufacturing into the circular economy is updating federal regulations and using the millions of tons non-hazardous secondary materials stored each year in landfills as supplementary cementitious materials. For example, cement and concrete made with fly ash can reduce emissions up to 30%.

While those short-term solutions can make progress toward reducing emissions by 2030, cement and concrete cannot achieve carbon neutrality without carbon capture technologies. Simply put, the chemical process of heating limestone to make cement releases CO2 as a byproduct. PCA continues to be heavily involved in research and development of emerging and innovative technologies like carbon capture utilization and storage. Collaboration from government is needed to scale up these technologies as well as create a national system of transport, utilization, and/or sequestration.

These are a few examples of the opportunities outlined in the Roadmap that the cement and concrete industry invites other stakeholders to learn more about and partner on.

Blog

Achieving Carbon Neutrality Across the Concrete Value Chain

Michael Ireland
President and CEO at Portland Cement Association

Portland Cement Association has recently announced the release of its Roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality across the concrete value chain by 2050. The cement and concrete industry is committed to addressing climate change and reducing emissions, and this Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality will guide us on our ambitious and critical decarbonization journey.

To reach this goal, the U.S. cement industry has aligned and PCA is gathering a coalition of thought leaders, researchers and stakeholders along the value chain that make this Roadmap a reality. Only by working together as an industry can we hope to realize the multitude of solutions that must be developed across policies and regulations, technology and innovation and demand generation. There is a strong need for broad collaboration even beyond the industry, and we are leading on bringing the right people to the table.

Importantly, many of the solutions included in the Roadmap are products, technologies and approaches that exist today – lower carbon cement and concrete are available today. By bringing together partners across the value chain, we intend to shift mindsets and increase awareness and adoption of these solutions.

The U.S. cement industry aligning under a formal and measurable commitment to reduce emissions comes at a critical time in our country. The construction sector is poised for growth, with the U.S. predicted to add another 121 billion square feet of buildings by 2050, the equivalent of constructing New York City every year for the next 20 years. This doesn’t account for the trillions of dollars the country is poised to spend reviving infrastructure, rehabilitating existing roads and bridges, and expanding construction in growing cities. Development at this scale means the cement and concrete industry has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to set a global example on building sustainably, utilizing new approaches, and advocating for updated technology.

America’s cement producers have a strong culture of innovation and are in constant pursuit of finding efficient ways of producing the high-quality cement our nation needs for homes, highways, hospitals and infrastructure. The Roadmap accelerates industry alignment and identifies challenges and barriers that must be addressed in order to achieve carbon neutrality. It enables our member companies and partners along the concrete value chain to address climate change and continue building a better future, shaped by concrete. We invite stakeholders to join this ambition to realize carbon neutrality across the full concrete value chain.

Learn more about the Roadmap here.

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Optimizing Clinker Composition: the First Link in Reaching Carbon Neutrality

Monica Manolas
President, Ash Grove South, a CRH Company

In October, the Portland Cement Association released its Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality, which outlines an approach that leverages the entire value chain to lower emissions. The first link in that value chain is clinker; clinker is a binding agent that is the precursor to cement, the key ingredient in concrete.

While most Americans will never see clinker unless they visit a cement plant as it is an intermediate product, it is essential to cement manufacturing. The key chemical reaction to produce clinker is responsible for more than 60% of CO₂ emissions from cement production. There is currently no way around this “chemical fact of life” and no viable alternative to clinker that can be produced at the scale society needs. There are, however, opportunities to optimize energy use, shift away from traditional fossil fuels, and utilize carbon capture technology to avoid emissions.

Decarbonated raw materials

Clinker starts with quarried materials like limestone, clay, shale, and sand that must be heated and processed. To reduce these emissions, manufacturers can use decarbonated raw materials that have already been processed to no longer contain CO₂. These materials often end up in landfills, so in addition to avoiding processing emissions, these materials are also brought into the circular economy.

Today, these materials represent less than 5% of cement manufacturers’ raw material input; with the right policies, that could be doubled. By 2050, the industry is targeting replacing virgin raw materials with at least 10% decarbonated raw materials.

Fuel switching

Clinker production requires material temperatures of nearly 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and those temperatures can only be achieved with combustion. The industry’s current fuel mix includes 60% coal and petcoke, with alternative fuels making up only a fraction of the current fuel mix. These alternative fuels range from cellulosic biomass to non-recycled plastics, residuals from paper and cardboard recycling, and agricultural wastes – all opportunities to give spent materials a second, productive life.

Current regulations limit the use of non-hazardous secondary materials, even when those materials can be beneficially used in lieu of fossil fuels. Cement plants are already equipped to use alternative fuel materials. With the right policies and regulations, alternative fuels could make up 50% of the industry’s fuel mix.

The industry is also advocating for the use of “transition” fuels, like natural gas, while renewable fuel sources become available at scale. Displacing traditional fossil fuels with natural gas in the near-term cuts CO₂ combustion emissions by 24%. With the right infrastructure investment, cement producers can switch to renewable sources of electricity like wind and solar to eliminate CO₂ created from fossil fueled power plants.

Improving energy efficiency

Cement manufacturing is already one of the most energy efficient industrial processes – with today’s technologies operating above 80% thermal efficiency. Producers are constantly looking for new opportunities to improve, and many cement plants are U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR certified for performing in the top quartile.

Using modernizations, upgrades, machine learning, and artificial intelligence the goal is to reduce the 3.84 MM BTU of energy it takes to produce one metric ton of clinker by more than 25%.

Carbon capture

In the long term, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) is a critical part of cutting emissions in cement production. CCUS effectively captures CO₂ to either be used to produce new materials or be safely and permanently sequestered. While at-scale CCUS will take significant research and development efforts, the industry continues to advocate for the right policies and investments to make carbon capture an integral part of any cement plant.

Clinker is the first step in a value chain that results in the concrete infrastructure we experience every day. Working to implement actions and policies and research and investment that bring down emissions at the cement plant is crucial for the industry to reach carbon neutrality and be a part of creating a more sustainable built environment.

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Reducing Emissions and Optimizing Materials Used in Cement Production: The Second Link in the Carbon Neutrality Value Chain

Rick Bohan
Vice President, Sustainability for the Portland Cement Association

The Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality, introduced by the Portland Cement Association, outlines a value chain approach to reach carbon neutrality across the built environment. The first two links in this value chain directly relate to operations at cement plants. Most Americans will never see clinker, the first step in the value chain, or cement, the main ingredient in the concrete we use to build our roads, structures and critical infrastructure.

Cement is a binder that, when mixed with water and aggregates, forms the durable and resilient material we know as concrete. Optimizing the ingredients in cement not only enhances the benefits of cement-based products, but also reduces the carbon intensity of cements. Cement producers are building on their proven legacy of lowering emissions to continue cutting greenhouse gases (GHG) while further increasing their energy efficiency.

Increasing supplementary cementitious materials

Cement includes clinker with finely ground limestone, inorganic processing additions, and precisely controlled amounts of sulfate. By optimizing what goes into cement, we can reduce emissions from material processing – for example, replacing some of the clinker with limestone or industrial byproducts like slag or fly ash, reduces the carbon intensity of cement while creating a product with the same strength, durability, and resiliency we’ve come to expect from concrete.

Currently, cements have a clinker to cement ratio of more than 90%. The remaining material, gypsum, limestone, and processing additions can be partially replaced with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). This directly reduces the CO₂ from clinker production. SCMs include slag, fly ash and silica fume. In many cases, these are industrial byproducts that would otherwise be landfilled. Proper amounts of SCMs can improve durability and address the harmful chemical reactions caused by some aggregates.

Tomorrow’s cements are targeting lower clinker to cement ratios. Cements today include less than 5% of SCMs, but the industry is targeting increasing SCM amounts to 10% in 2030, 15% by 2040 and 20% by 2050.

Leveraging new cement blends

Portland cement specifications limit the amount of limestone that can be added in cement to just 5%, but portland-limestone cement (PLC) specifications allow for the addition of up to 15% limestone, fly ash or slag, which leads to a reduction in CO₂ emissions.

There is a tremendous opportunity to increase the use of PLC, but in many cases, institutional inertia presents one of the greatest obstacles to widespread use. This Roadmap is an approach to accelerating the acceptance and adoption, not only of these proven materials, but also an approach to accelerating the adoption of the standards and specifications providing a pathway to their use.

Standards for the cement industry are the common language that producers, users and consumers speak to ensure consistency and uniformity. Different cement standards provide cement users a variety of options and choices. Ultimately harmonizing these unique standards will provide an even greater degree of flexibility.

For more than a century, educating producers, users, consumers, the government, academia, contractors, the construction industry, and the general public has been the hallmark of PCA; it is even more important today to educate stakeholders on all the options available with cement blends and their sustainable benefits.

Organizations such as ASTM International and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials play a critical role in developing. Updating these standards is key to helping the cement and concrete industry achieve carbon neutrality.

Cement producers can create more efficient and sustainable clinker and cement, but collaboration to update regulations and increase awareness of these materials will be required before the market will embrace them.

Blog

Lowering Concrete Manufacturing Emissions and Optimizing the Design of the Built Environment

Allen Hamblen
President and CEO of CalPortland

No matter the type of infrastructure, concrete construction provides a sustainable and resilient built environment, which is an important part of the PCA Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality. What is commonly considered construction involves four separate phases: design, construction, use, and end-of-life. Much like earlier steps in the value chain, the carbon intensity of construction can be reduced through optimization within each of these phases.

Optimizing concrete mixtures

Manufacturing concrete today is a complex process. From the generic concrete of residential applications to innovative ultra-high strength concrete for the tallest buildings and longest bridges in the world, concrete manufacturing requires stringent quality control and an understanding of the characteristics and properties of local materials. Along with cement, aggregate and water, most concrete today uses supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) – admixtures and additives – that improve the properties of concrete for various situations. There are almost a limitless number of concrete formulations to meet the needs of engineers, contractors, owners, and others.

After water, concrete is the second most consumed material on the planet, which is why it’s such a critical step in the value chain to reach carbon neutrality. The cement industry’s Roadmap targets improved mix designs that optimize every single component within concrete – and by optimizing the manufacture of concrete and creating hyper-specific mixes, we can reduce emissions. By switching from prescriptive specifications to performance specifications, producers have the flexibility to design for the application of the project rather than for a specification that may be overdesigned for the use. With dozens of inputs and outputs, leveraging both conventional and machine-based tools allows producers to transition from a set menu of default mixtures to designing tailor-made mixtures using the right materials at the right time for the right application.

A cubic yard of concrete today represents about 500 pounds of CO₂. By utilizing optimized mix designs, that same cubic yard of concrete will represent 364 pounds of CO₂ by 2030, 273 pounds by 2040 and less than 200 pounds by 2050, a reduction in intensity of 60%. That concrete will still have the same strength and durability consumers have come to expect but with lower life cycle emissions.

Reducing direct emissions from concrete manufacturing and transportation

Making concrete requires energy, and delivering concrete requires energy.

Manufacturing concrete accounts for only about 5% of the total CO₂ footprint of concrete. As the grid is supplied with more renewable energy, concrete production facilities will see a 100% reduction in the CO₂ footprint.

Concrete manufacturers have committed to transitioning from diesel powered to zero emissions fleets to transport their products. Today, transportation accounts for about 6% of the total CO₂ footprint of concrete, with a targeted goal of 3% by 2050 – a 50% reduction in delivery energy.

Avoiding overdesign

Given the ubiquity of concrete, it’s important to optimize how it’s used. Optimization in the design phase takes a whole life building design approach and utilizing performance specifications to lower carbon in the built environment is one approach to avoiding overdesign.

Every structure is designed on basic principles like strength, stiffness, stability, durability, and long-term performance. This Roadmap encourages a rational approach to avoid the wasteful one-size-fits-all approach that is the unknowing default selection of many designers. Keeping building codes updated to include the use of performance specifications addresses overly conservative designs that provide a false sense of security. Despite advances in building codes and design, this remains an issue.

Concrete’s wide range of performance characteristics allows for structural systems to be optimized by simply considering the size, shape and spacing of structural components. A common example is the use of higher strength concretes to decrease slab depths.  Similarly, high strength concrete can allow either reduced column sizes or wider spacing between the columns. While the cement content will vary based on mix design, the overall structural system can be optimized with a lower carbon footprint.

This Roadmap envisions that optimization in the design and construction phase can achieve construction efficiencies of 10% by 2030, 20% by 2040, and 30% by 2050. Optimized construction also means reducing waste on the job site and eliminating returned concrete. Today, more than 5% of concrete is returned from construction sites; with more precise design and by limiting excess materials at the job site, our targets for returned concrete are 4.25% by 2030, 3.25% by 2040, and 2.5% by 2050.

By working with concrete manufacturers, stakeholders, urban developers and contractors, we can lower concrete’s carbon footprint, achieve carbon neutrality, and build a more sustainable built environment for the next generation.

Blog

Reducing Emissions in the Use-Phase of Concrete Infrastructure

Rick Bohan
Senior Vice President, Sustainability

The Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality, released by the Portland Cement Association, addresses the five links in the cement-concrete-construction value chain critical for reaching carbon neutrality. Opportunities to lower emissions at the cement plant and optimize the manufacture and use of concrete are important parts of the value chain, but there are also opportunities to reduce and remove carbon once a building is constructed or a pavement is in place.  

Concrete made with cement creates long-lasting, energy efficient, and climate-adapted structures. Concrete’s thermal mass, strength, durability, and resiliency all contribute to cutting use emissions – and the use-phase of infrastructure and buildings is by far the longest in a building’s life cycle.   

Additionally, through a process called carbonation, concrete naturally absorbs carbon dioxide in the air. Concrete is a porous material, like a sponge, and carbonation is a naturally occurring process where CO2 in the air reacts with the calcium hydroxide within concrete forming calcium carbonate, a naturally  occurring  mineral  that  is  a  common ingredient in everything from toothpaste to antacids. 

In fact, for all the concrete produced in the U.S. between 1990 and 2018, more than 300 million metric tons of CO2 will be absorbed and sequestered by concrete over its service life. Concrete is actually considered a carbon sink as it permanently stores CO2 – even when it is broken up or demolished that CO2 remains permanently trapped.  

Concrete complements existing carbon sinks (like forests) by not just passively absorbing CO2 but also offering a place to permanently trap captured CO2. Carbon dioxide can also be injected into fresh concrete or introduced under pressure in chambers containing concrete products as a solution for storing captured carbon.   

How much CO2 is sequestered depends upon the surface area of concrete that is exposed to the atmosphere and the length of exposure. Over the course of its service life, a concrete structure can reabsorb at least 10% of the CO2 generated during the production of cement and concrete. That percentage will only increase as the industry continues to implement more sustainable manufacturing methods and materials and as we better quantify this unique process. 

In addition to being a carbon sink, concrete is the foundation of sustainable cities by making buildings and roads more efficient, cutting use-related emissions.  

Homes with concrete walls can use up to 15% less energy than other homes. Concrete does not rust, rot, or burn, therefore saving energy and the resources needed for regular maintenance or repairs to our buildings and infrastructure. Additionally, concrete makes urban areas cooler because its lighter color reflects more sunlight than darker materials.  

The durability of pavement is extremely important to driving down emissions as well. Not only are poor roads a nuisance for drivers, but they are also bad for the environment. Fuel consumption and emissions from vehicles depend on several factors, including pavement-vehicle interaction, which put simply is the quality of the road. When the surface conditions are good, vehicles can travel with optimal fuel consumption.  

The impact of rough roads has been seen across the country. For example, over a five-year period, 1 billion gallons of excess fuel was used in California due to poor pavements. Similarly, a study by the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub found that excessive fuel consumption on 5,000 miles of Virginia interstate highways resulted in 1 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions over a seven-year period.   

With the need to build sustainable infrastructure that limits use emissions, concrete is a key part of the equation. With the added benefit of its ability to sequester carbon, concrete offers a unique and versatile solution and building material.   

Blog

Climate Week NYC Panel Discussion: How the U.S. and Global Cement and Concrete Industry are Progressing on their Path to Net Zero

From Mike Ireland, PCA

With every industry and sector looking to reduce emissions, opportunities to bring diverse groups of stakeholders together to discuss progress and share key learnings are vital to continued progress.

I am pleased to share that on Tuesday, September 20, I will be participating in a Climate Week panel, titled Towards Net Zero – Cement and Concrete Industry Action and Progress 2050 Roadmap.  As we mark the one-year anniversary of PCA’s Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality, we will talk about the policies and tools that are critical in building a green, net zero concrete future.

For industrial sectors that are viewed as challenging to decarbonize but critical to our nation’s economy and efforts to build resiliently, it’s necessary we work together across the full cement-concrete value chain to shift mindsets and increase awareness and adoptions of Roadmap solutions for near and long-term benefits.

I will be joined by Selwin Hart, Special Advisor to the Secretary General of the UN for Climate Action and Just Transition; Maria Jose Garcia, Executive Director of Federacion Interamericana del Cemento; Ron Henley, President of GCC America and Chairman of the Portland Cement Association; Filiberto Ruiz, President and CEO of Votorantim Cimentos; Thomas Guillot, CEO of the Global Cement and Concrete Association and Jan Jenisch, CEO of Holcim and President of the Global Cement and Concrete Association. Our discussion will focus on recent progress and next steps for the cement-concrete industry reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.

Join me in-person or virtually by registering here.

Hope to see you there.

Blog

Driving Forward Sustainability in a “Hard to Abate Emissions Sector”

Mike Ireland

President and CEO, PCA

When I joined the Portland Cement Association, it wasn’t for the fame – the cement and concrete industry does not often find itself in the limelight. Rather, I was drawn to the innovative and hardworking people that make up PCA’s member companies and to be a part of our nation’s literal (though overlooked) foundation. Cement and concrete are in almost every structure, providing strength, durability and resiliency not found in many other places; this industry quietly enables us to go about our daily lives.

We now find ourselves thrust into the mainstream narrative with cement and concrete manufacturers at the heart of the Biden Administration’s $1 trillion infrastructure plan. With the realities of climate change accelerating, the U.S. needs that infrastructure to withstand the natural disasters we increasingly face. At the same time, society is demanding action on emissions, and I believe that we have a responsibility to answer that charge. The spotlight has found us, and our industry is grabbing this opportunity to accelerate change with both hands – we can come together to reduce our carbon footprint while increasing production and delivering sustainable infrastructure.

A year ago, on behalf of the U.S. cement industry, PCA released a Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality – an ambitious plan outlining actions and opportunities across the entire cement-concrete-construction value chain. We’ve seen progress on this journey – and we need every stakeholder, from the smallest construction company to the federal government, to work with us on continuing to further this goal.

The Roadmap advocates for the increased use of low-carbon cement, such as portland limestone cement, and there are now 44 state Departments of Transportation that accept this mix, which results in 10% less carbon. In California alone, using PLC has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 28,000 tons a year — the equivalent of removing more than 6,000 cars from the road.

Multiple cement manufacturers in the U.S., with support from the Department of Energy, have begun pilot projects around emerging technologies that capture carbon before it is emitted and reusing it for another purpose or storing it – commonly referred to as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS).

I want to recognize the work that has been done, but there are so many more opportunities to unlock in the Roadmap.

This plan considers the full lifecycle of cement and concrete – no material, structure or technology can be considered in isolation, and PCA looks to the wider construction industry as partners on this journey. The Roadmap identifies opportunities to lower emissions at each step of concrete construction, from updating building codes to more thoughtfully designing a structure for its intended use, to shifting to zero emissions fleets to deliver the materials, to measuring and accounting for the carbon that’s absorbed within concrete over its lifetime.

We are proud of the developments to-date, and we applaud all our members and partners who have taken the first steps in creating and implementing the solutions needed to bring us toward a more sustainable future.

With your help, let’s do more. Read the full Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality and you reach out to us at customerservice@cement.org to learn more about the cement and concrete industry’s path toward a sustainable, resilient future.