The Concrete
Industry’s Vision
for a Sustainable
Future
Concrete
How would we live without it?
#1 man-made material
consumed by humanity
#2 material consumed
by humanity (after water)
We’re all on the same boat
The image of any one company cannot stay higher
than that of its industry segment
The image of any one industry segment cannot
stay higher than that of the industry as a whole
All sustainability dimensions are important
Sustainable Development
Technical
Regulatory
Marketing
Sustainable development:
Our greatest challenge & opportunity
•
•
•
•
Industry-wide issue
Important how outside world views us
Today many different faces and messages
Need one ‘face to the world’ and common
messages
• Pool resources to back-up messages
• An unprecedented level of Industry segment
collaboration required
ONE sustainable face to the world
Sum of the Supply Chain Segments
Rock + Cement + Cementitious + Additives +
Production + A&E + Construction
=
Concrete Structures
All vertical & horizontal applications
and concrete products
Reframe the issue
From:
CO2 footprint
of cement
To: Lifecycle
Eco-footprint
of concrete
structures
Agenda is even broader
Lifecycle eco-footprint
is subset of the
social value of concrete structures
Take holistic view of industry
.
“Concrete structures provide
great value to society”
We believe it
…but does the world know?
How world is being steered to view us
How we view ourselves
Shift the talking from ourselves
to those outside
• Decision
makers
• Policymakers
• Users/public
Why a Concrete Joint Sustainability
Initiative?
• Develop common Industry identity
(One face to the world)
• Develop common vision of industry
sustainability
• Pool resources and minimize
duplication
• Back-up sustainability
messages with facts
• Coordinate communication
of outside messages
Joint declaration of industry
vision for a sustainable future
• Constitutes charter
document of the
Concrete Joint
Sustainability Initiative
• Contains 9 declarations
• Lists 8 social values of
concrete structures
• 24 industry associations
have currently signed,
with more to come
Declaration #1:
“Concrete structures are the core of
our industry identity that include all
vertical and horizontal applications
and concrete products”
• Move away from thinking and acting as
fragmented segments
• Concrete structures are the visible endresult of our industry supply chain
Declaration #2:
“Concrete Structures are at the
center of an integrated approach to
addressing industry challenges”
• Historic fragmentation has led us to
overemphasize component thinking as
opposed to system thinking
• Component-based solutions are suboptimal compared to system solutions
Declaration #3:
“Proactively communicate and
continuously enhance the social value
of concrete structures”
• Due to our long history, we take for
granted that society acknowledges the
value of what we do
• We cannot rest on that assumption
• We often neglect or understate our
value
Declaration #4:
“Our integrated thinking will focus on
the following social values provided
by concrete structures”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Resource efficiency
Safety/protection
Financial responsibility
Operational continuity
Longevity/durability
Byproducts reduction
Esthetics
Societal connectivity
(more on this later)
Declaration #5:
“Review priorities and activities,
coordinate to align respective programs
and projects, and leverage on the particular
strengths and expertise of each
organization to pursue an integrated focus
on concrete structures”
• Use our limited Industry resources in
the most effective way
• Eliminate duplication, cross-purpose
and gaps in our actions
Declaration #6:
“Persistently drive continuous
improvement at component and
integrated levels to enhance the
social value of concrete structures”
• Industry has consistently pursued
continuous improvement
• Historically this has been evolutionary
and component-based
• Integrated system improvements will
require enhanced segment collaboration
Declaration #7:
“Provide advocacy, technical and
educational resources to enhance
the use and convey the benefits of
concrete structures to others”
• To benefit from using concrete
structures, all stakeholders must be
informed
• Common messages adapted to every
audience
Declaration #8:
“Time is of the essence; pursue
mechanisms and approaches that
may diverge from business-as-usual
for expedited results”
• This thinking and corresponding
action are long overdue
• Pressing challenges require we catchup quickly
Declaration #9:
“Maintain open channels to
welcome, involve and engage all
Industry segments in becoming part
of this direction”
• Engage and embrace input from all
segments to adopt this thinking
throughout our Industry
• Original 3 organizations quickly grew to
6, and then to 24, with more to come
8 social values of concrete structures
• These are the real reasons we exist as
an Industry
• Our future prosperity depends on
delivering, enhancing and
communicating these social values
• Behind every challenge is opportunity
Value #1: Resource Efficiency
• Concrete structures over their lifecycle
are efficient users of energy, water, land
and other resources
• We need to consolidate and develop
more supporting facts to back this up,
particularly for energy and water
Value #2: Safety / Protection
• Concrete structures provide a superior
level of user safety, protection and
peace of mind
• Disaster resistance is commonly
accepted but usually understated
Value #3: Financial Responsibility
• Concrete structures provide economic
advantage both from a total cost of
ownership perspective and from greater
local content benefit to communities
• Economic benefit requires multi-year
view
Value #4: Operational Continuity
• Concrete structures offer greater
disaster resistance, protecting
essential community services and
business continuity
• Commonly accepted but usually
understated
Value #5: Longevity/Durability
• Concrete structures outlast the useful
lives of other structures with minimal
maintenance and repair
• Commonly accepted but usually
understated
Value #6: Byproducts Reduction
• Concrete structures over their lifecycle
produce a reduced level of byproducts
(including CO2), use the byproducts of
other activities and can ultimately be
recycled themselves
• We need to consolidate and develop more
supporting facts to back up environmental
friendliness
Value #7: Esthetics
• Concrete structures can be designed
to create aesthetic quality for both
users and their surroundings
• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
but effective messaging sets a
standard
Value #8: Societal Connectivity
• Concrete structures provide the essential
links (roads, bridges, ports, utility
infrastructure etc) that enable society to
function safely and efficiently, and prosper
financially
• Commonly accepted but usually forgotten
Current Concrete Joint
Sustainability Initiative actions
• Develop and deliver alignment/call-to-action
presentation for within our Industry
(you’re looking at it!)
• Association collaboration to compile and unify
industry sustainability messages
• Compile/organize supporting facts to back up
social values, identify related programs and
gaps
Current actions (continued)
• ACI to initiate development of 2 sustainable
construction publications which could lead to
more rapid code evolution
• PCA/NRMCA to share industry-wide imaging/
branding survey and recommendations
• Communication/engagement with additional
Industry associations
Concrete Joint Sustainability
Initiative
Technical
Regulatory
ACI Committees
RMC Res and Ed Found.
PCA Ed Found.
Others
CRSI | NCMA | NRMCA
PCA | PCI | Others
Marketing
CRSI | NCMA | NRMCA
PCA | PCI | Others
A new way of thinking and acting
• Industry-wide image and critical mass
• The sticking power of repeating
common messages
• Collaboration and resource
effectiveness
• Outside the circle and box
• Fast track
• Both near and longer term strategies
Concrete Joint Sustainability
Initiative Commitment
‘Each party commits its individual
strengths, resources as appropriate and
guidance towards this Vision,
to pave the way for a sustainable future for
those present and those who will follow,
in advancing the potential of our Industry
for the benefit of society’
The smell of success
• Decision makers: Recommend and
prefer to specify concrete structures
where possible
• Policymakers: Adopt policies that
recognize the value of concrete
structures to society and preserve the
vitality of domestic supply chain sources
• Users/Public: Like to live and work in
and around concrete structures and
readily express and act on their
preference
• All: Have a positive/’feel good’ image of
our Industry
Commitment at many levels
will drive success
• Industry
• Association
• Company
• You!
Thank You
American Coal Ash Association
American Concrete Institute
American Concrete Pipe
Association
American Shotcrete Association
American Society of Concrete
Contractors
Architectural Precast Association
American Segmental Bridge
Institute
Cast Stone Institute
Concrete Reinforcing Steel
Institute
Concrete Sawing & Drilling
Association
Concrete Foundations Association
Expanded Shale, Clay and Slate
Institute
Interlocking Concrete Pavement
Institute
International Concrete Repair Institute
National Concrete Masonry Association
National Precast Concrete Association
National Ready Mixed Concrete
Association
Portland Cement Association
Post-Tensioning Institute
Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute
RMC Research and Education
Foundation
Silica Fume Association
Slag Cement Association
Tile Roofing Institute
Tilt-Up Concrete Association
Wire Reinforcement Institute