As the premier construction material across the world, concrete has a major determining role on the effects, good or bad, of construction on the environment. This opening paper examines how the objectives and themes of Sustainable Concrete Construction fit into an overall strategy for More Sustainable Construction. The paper argues that 'Sustainable concrete construction' is a multi-facetted objective and demands many diverse approaches. Much progress has been made, particularly in developing understanding of the issues involved. Areas where future research can make particularly important contributions to the sustainable use of concrete are: 1. Adaptable buildings 2. Minimisation of waste on site 3. Robust tools for service life design and whole life costing 4. Design for deconstruction 5. Low energy cements 6. Innovative use of concrete to minimise energy in use The climate of opinion favours a major effort to achieve a more sustainable construction industry and the papers presented in this Conference are a significant contribution to that effort.
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