DECARBONIZING CONCRETE AT A GLANCE This workshop explores different ways that the City of Austin and contributing companies are tackling the problem of C02 emissions in the use and production of concrete. As we know, concrete is a major contributor of greenhouse gases and next to water is the most widely used substance on earth. If concrete were a country, it would be the third largest carbon emitter in the world only next to China and the US. We are seeing an unprecedented growth in cities around the world, in particular Austin, which is projected to grow by 28% in the next 10 years to 3 million residents. How can we continue to expand at such a rapid rate while mitigating the impact of construction on the environment? If we are to meet the goal 2050 goal of the Paris agreement, which is carbon neutrality, there needs to be a complete approach of how governments, companies and individuals participate in building. Because of concrete's qualities and strength, it will continue to be used, the question is how and what we do to use it. Low-Carbon concrete is quite a broad term. It can be characterized through a multitude of different materials, processes and initiatives.
A seawall in Yamada, Iwate prefecture, Japan, 2018. Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters
Source: Pixabay
We looked at a collection of different innovative products, methods, and approaches that ask the question of how we reduce our carbon footprint in the construction and building industries.
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