Concrete for a Warming World

(full color version) Over 5%%%% of global CO2 emissions can be attributed to portland cement production. This two-part report describes opportunities for climate change mitigation by reducing the consumption of cement. Part one is a summary of experimental research. Cement is replaced in part by three industrial by-products: fly ash, rice husk ash and limestone flour. The intent was to find a mix that would outperform blends of cement and fly ash. The results show rice husk ash and limestone flour improve concrete by boosting early strength gain and reducing permeability. The second part of this report is concerned with the wide scale application of cement replacement. Demand for cement continues to grow. Increases in production exceed efforts to reduce emissions through manufacturing efficiencies and cleaner fuels. This section is a global snapshot of the intersection of the cement, power and agriculture industries and presents an argument for cross sector integration as a means to achieving sustainability.