Factor Ten Emission Reductions: The Key to Sustainable Development and Economic Prosperity for the Cement and Concrete Industry

摘要

Sustainable development in the concrete and cement industry is achievable in the near future. This paper proposes the viability of a factor 10 reduction in the negative environmental effects of current cement/concrete production through the use of cement blends with minimum portland cement and maximum pozzolanic loading. Such cement blends substantially extend the longevity of concrete and avoid the enormous cost of several repair and replacement cycles. The transition to sustainable concrete technology will be driven not by environmental imperative but rather by market forces pursuing economic advantage through more durable concrete. Market driven economics already in place will soon prove that concrete durability is worth a high premium but is available at a bargain. There is enormous leverage in improving concrete quality as a doubling of the price of highest quality cement would add only 2% to overall construction project costs while the extended service life of the structure would offer a many-fold return on the additional investment. In coming years, the consideration of CO_2 emissions regulations and increasingly valuable internationally traded CO_2 credits will assume an economic importance equal to or greater than capital and operating costs among cement producers. Those who do not move to sustainable concrete technologies will run the risk of losing substantial market share or business failure.