Reducing environmental impact of concrete, an interdisciplinary challenge.

Posted in EDG News

Sponsors: Emanuela Del Gado,  Department of Physics and ISM2; Marlene Morris Towns, McDonough School of Business

Partners: Concrete Sustainability Hub (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE)

More than 20 billion tons of concrete are produced every year, more than any other material on Earth, such that concrete production is responsible for 10% of the whole anthropogenic production of CO2. In the foreseeable future, there is no other material that can replace concrete to meet society’s needs for housing, shelter, schools, and infrastructure, while 10% more of the world population is expected to live in urban areas by 2050. Reducing CO2 emissions for concrete production is hence essential to meet GHG reduction targets.

This project is about focusing research efforts and establishing an interdisciplinary collaboration to raise awareness of concrete’s environmental impact.