The Concrete Sustainability Hub is a research center established at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in collaboration with the Portland Cement Association and the Ready Mixed Concrete Research and Education Foundation. Its goal is to focus on quantifying and enhancing the sustainable nature of concrete, as the call for an increased emphasis on environmental issues in the building industry grows louder.
The four segments of this course cover the role of life-cycle cost assessment in determining the environmental impact of paving and buildings, plus and how life-cycle cost analysis can change how we invest in infrastructure.
1. Overview: Great Strides Toward Smaller Footprints
David D. Shepherd, AIA, LEED AP, Portland Cement Association
This presentation reviews the Hub’s organization and scope of activities and the role of life-cycle assessments in determining the environmental impacts of construction.
2. Assessing the Full Impact of Pavements
David D. Shepherd, AIA, LEED AP, Portland Cement Association
Our network of streets, roads, and highways has significant environmental impacts. This presentation reviews MIT research to evaluate and improve these impacts through the development of a life-cycle assessment that includes use and operation phases, not just material production and initial construction.
3. Assessing the Full Impact of Buildings
Donn C. Thompson AIA, CGP, LEED AP, Portland Cement Association
Heating, cooling, and general operations of buildings and homes account for 70% of U.S. energy consumption. This segment reviews Hub life-cycle assessment work to determine how two aspects of concrete—its resilience and long life while providing thermal mass benefit to reduce energy use—affects the environmental footprint of buildings.
4. Life-Cycle Cost Analysis and the New Reality of Pavement Economics
Ed Sullivan, Portland Cement Association
Life cycle cost analysis is an economic tool used to assess the total cost throughout the life of a construction project. This presentation reviews MIT work to measure the impact of inflation on the choice of paving materials over the life cycle of a road construction project, plus how a wide range of other economic factors are changing the cost dynamics of infrastructure investment.
It’s free, but you’ll need a special code to access it. Contact info@cement.org to obtain an access key.
PCA Government Affairs:
Grassroots Series
State and local governments have a huge impact on both the level of infrastructure investment and how that money is spent.
Invest an hour of your time and let government affairs expert Michael J. Frederick, The Frederick Group, show you how to have a voice in the process and manage an effective advocacy program. Four 15-minute sessions cover how to get involved, hiring and managing a lobbyist, and money and politics.
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Think Harder With Customized
Outreach Materials
It’s easier than ever with a print-on-demand site that lets you customize Think Harder. Concrete promotion materials with your logo and contact information,then print them or generate a PDF file.
The web site now includes “leave-behind” support materials addressing MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub research reports as well as local advocacy and paving promotion fact sheets.
Think-Harder.org
Print on Demand site
Cement and its Impact on
Concrete Performance
PCA's latest elearning course allows you to master the art and science of concrete on your own time. The course covers critical issues such as how to achieve more durable concrete, and how to avoid jobsite problems that may result from improper mix designs.
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