b'CARBON REDUCTIONMoving to a Low Carbon Concrete Future By Bart KantersDiscussions on concrete are increasingly revolving around sustainability and carbon reductionT herearemanyamazingthingsaboutconcrete,anditA section of the U.S.strongerproduct,theconcreteindustryis National Holocaust isntasurprisetoanyonewhoworksintheconstruc- Memorial, which contains tion industry that this product is the most used construc- more than 2,000 blocks tion material in the world. However, carbon reductionof concreteis becoming one of the most important topics that the industry is addressing with both owners and designers. Tocreateaneven When you step back and look at what concrete has to offer topleased to see stakeholders asking us to address global warming everysectorofourcountryscriticalinfrastructure,thingslikechallenges. There is a need for all of us to look at the steps we strength, durability and resilience always come to mind. But we arecantaketodaytodeliverlowcarbonsolutionstoreduceour now extremely excited to see the discussions on sustainability andcarbon footprint. We are also excited to imagine and develop new carbon reductions moving to the forefront in our correspondenceand innovative materials and methods to achieve the cement and with both designers and contractors alike. concrete industry goal of net-zero carbon by 2050.One of the critical reasons concrete is required for practicallyACCOUNTING SYSTEMSevery major type of construction is its unique properties. FirstAs part of that process, our first step as a highly technical industry of all, concrete uses local materials and local labour to create ais to embrace accounting systems such as Environmental Product plastic product that can be shaped and moulded into absolutelyDeclarations(EPDs).Weallrealizethattoreduceourcarbon any size and form you can imagine. It also allows the material,footprint, we first must know what our existing carbon intensity via a chemical reaction with cementing materials, admixtures and water, to form a strong and durable structural material right inis. Then we can actively work towards using systems and materials front of your eyes in a matter of hours and days.to reduce that intensity while still providing the durability that concrete is synonymous with.Concrete is the material that forms the backbone of our modern world and has so dramatically raised the quality of our lives that it is hardOver the past two years, the Canadian Ready Mixed Concrete to realize how much it impacts every part of our local communities.AssociationandtheCementAssociationofCanadahavebeen Concrete can be designed to provide the performance that a contractorworking closely with the National Research Council to address the needs to effectively transport, place and finish while it is still flowable inneeds of both designers and contractors when it comes to ready-the first few hours of the products life. While at the same time it hasmixed concrete EPDs. In September of this year, Concrete Ontario the long-term hardening properties that our society needs to create thewaspleasedtoproduceourfirst-everOntario-basedindustry infrastructure that can last hundreds of years. average EPD for ready-mixed concrete. 28 AVENUESWINTER 2023'