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The U.S. House-passed IMPACT Act, sponsored by Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) & Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC), establishes the Energy Department’s first crosscutting RD&D program for advanced, low carbon concrete, cement and asphalt technologies and directs a 5-year strategic plan to support these RD&D activities. M, the CAIA authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to procure and/or commit to purchase low carbon cement, concrete and asphalt if conditions for quality, delivery and emissions are met. Learn more: in the cement, concrete and asphalt industries. The legislation earned strong industry support from the National Ready-Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), the Portland Cement Association (PCA), the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) and the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA), along with ClearPath Action, the Clean Air Task Force and Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES). In the U.S. Senate, meanwhile, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) & Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) have introduced the parallel Concrete & Asphalt Innovation Act (CAIA) that would, in addition to the items above, establish a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) grant program for state departments of transportation (DOTs) that buy such low carbon materials & boost adoption of performance-based specifications to remove barriers to innovation and sustainability in cement, concrete and asphalt. Moreover, the CAIA authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to procure and/or commit to purchase low carbon cement, concrete and asphalt if conditions for quality, delivery and emissions are met. Learn more via ClearPath Action: https://lnkd.in/ek4XhGEf #Concrete #ConcreteInnovation #GreenConcrete #BuyClean

Concrete isn’t a necessity for just some people. It’s a material used by every single human in virtually every action taken every single day. That’s why the U.S. Supreme Court ruling siding with cement manufacturers yesterday to hold off on enforcing even more stringent EPA regulations wasn’t just a win for the industry, but it will not disrupt manufacturers from producing the building materials Americans depend on. The court voted to stall the EPA’s Good Neighbor Federal Implementation Plan, which would require cement manufacturers and a coalition of other industries to take even more drastic measures to further cut interstate transport of emissions. This industry recognizes the importance of cutting emissions and has made it its top priority.      America’s cement manufacturers… ·      Have spent millions of dollars for decades on state-of-the-art equipment to reduce emissions and are continuing the research and development of lower-carbon cements, alternative fuels, and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) systems.    ·      Are meeting the nation’s current demands and providing the resilient materials to rebuild America’s infrastructure in accordance with the administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. ·      Are adhering to every emissions rule put in place by the EPA and consider the agency one of their most important partners in their commitment to making the industry carbon neutral by 2050 if not sooner. As long as Americans need concrete roadways and bridges … subways that navigate through concrete tunnels … and concrete buildings where they can live, work and thrive … the U.S. cement industry has and always will provide. Cement manufacturers are on a mission, and they will continue to work with the policymakers to reach their destination sustainably.  #PCAroadmap #CementIndustry #Concrete

Interesting article about trying to lessen the negative environmental impact of concrete manufacturing.

The EU-U.S. TRADE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL (TTC) held a stakeholder event “Crafting The Transatlantic Green Marketplace” on January 31, 2024, in Washington, D.C. One of the thematic sessions was titled “Creating a Market for Green Cement and Concrete on Both Sides of the Atlantic” It was moderated by representatives from the Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS) and the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). NRMCA’s Karthik Obla served as one of the 6 panelists at the event. About 20 US federal and EU officials and representatives from the private industry were also in attendance. There was unanimous agreement that performance-based standards and specifications will spur innovation and accelerate the move towards low-carbon cement and concrete. Other ideas discussed include policy changes, incentives and funding opportunities, reducing risk, standards alignment, the need for a partnering atmosphere, and a more streamlined approval process for innovative materials. A summary article is available by clicking on the following link. https://lnkd.in/gj_tSErX

Many large industrial decarbonization projects face the “chicken or the egg” quandary: offtakers don’t want to commit to a company until a plant is up and running, but funders don't want to commit to a plant without offtakers on board. Read about the efforts of GVP Climate portfolio company Brimstone to address this critical issue.

Last month, the European Parliament endorsed a revised Construction Products Regulation (#CPR). Now, it's time for implementation. Ensuring that #cement and #concrete are up to task must start by replacing today's prescriptive standards with a performance-based approach. ✅ To align with the CPR ✅ To #decarbonise cement and concrete ➡ In fact, our findings show that moving to performance-based standards has the potential to half the industry's footprint: https://lnkd.in/eQFNY6cj

National Highways extends polymer modified bitumen trials https://lnkd.in/dC-ChrHg National Highways has extended its trials of bio-binders to include warm mix asphalt (WMA) and recycled content to provide a lower carbon, Clause 942 thin surface course solution that could help it meet its net zero objectives. Read Full Article: The Construction Index #Construction #UKConstruction #Building #Infrastructure #Engineering #ProjectManagement #ConstructionNews #InnovationInConstruction #SustainableConstruction #MegaProjects

Concrete, cement and asphalt are terrible for the planet, yet we use so very much of them. Cement, the key ingredient in concrete, accounts for some 8% of worldwide carbon dioxide emissions, and its use is expected to keep growing by an estimated 12% through 2050. Reps Valerie Foushee (D-North Carolina) and Max Miller (R-Ohio) introduced a new bipartisan bill in the House of Representatives last week. The bill aims to boost the development and manufacturing of low-emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt. The bill, known as the Impact Act 2.0, would establish $15 million in grants through the Federal Highway Administration to purchase low-emissions concrete and asphalt, authorize the Secretary of Transportation to make advance purchase commitments, and create an interagency task force on concrete and asphalt innovation that includes the Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency and others. “We must take meaningful steps now that will reduce pollution in the concrete, cement and asphalt production processes, and this bipartisan bill brings us closer to achieving our goals for a cleaner and more sustainable planet,” Foushee said. https://bityl.co/RR5x

🇺🇸 Within a year of the launch of GSA’s low-embodied carbon (LEC) program, over 14,000 additional environmental product declarations (EPDs) for concrete have been published in the U.S. Recent findings published by the U.S. General Services Administration highlight the success of the Buy Clean initiative, significantly benefiting American manufacturers of concrete, asphalt, steel, and glass. In particular, EPDs among concrete manufacturers saw a 15% increase, signaling a positive embrace of low-embodied carbon materials. Key benefits of the Buy Clean initiative for concrete manufacturers include: ✅ Reduced carbon emissions: lower carbon footprint through alternative binders. ✅ Cost savings: reduced production costs by decreasing clinker content. ✅ Increased competitiveness: leadership in sustainability. ✅ Regulatory compliance: ensures adherence to current and future regulations. 👉 Read more on How the Buy Clean initiative impacts American concrete manufacturers: https://lnkd.in/d6P79PpJ #Sustainability #Concrete #BuyCleanInitiative #decarbonizationnews #buyclean

What federal policies are needed to decarbonize the cement industry? Liza Darwin, head of communications for Brimstone, joined leaders from the Portland Cement Association, Cemex, and Construction Partners, in an informative and insightful U.S. Senate briefing yesterday to explore that question and the pathways to decarbonize cement, concrete, and asphalt. Moderated by Jeremy Harrell of ClearPath, the panel highlighted the opportunities for advancing low-carbon solutions—and underscored how innovative government policies, such as advance market commitments, can unlock private capital to scale and commercialize the most transformational solutions. That policy is a key plank in S. 3439, the bipartisan Concrete and Asphalt Innovation Act introduced in December. Clean Air Task Force and ClearPath hosted a great event, showcasing the progress that is possible when we work collaboratively to decarbonize this vital sector, reduce emissions, and ensure U.S. leadership in the clean industrial transition. #lowcarboncement #industrialdecarbonization