Amid a flurry of reports on the prospects of reaching targets aimed at limiting climate change, one analysis has projected the potential for reduced greenhouse gas emissions from cleaner concrete production even with increased use of the material.
According to a nine-page report from researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) titled “The Role of Concrete in Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of U.S. Buildings and Pavements” that was published in the “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” on Sept. 14, improvements in production and use could lead to a 49% reduction in GHG emissions associated with concrete for buildings and a 14% reduction for paving, between 2016 and 2050. More ambitious efforts could lower emissions by as much as 57% and 65%, respectively, during the same time frame, the researchers say.