Innovation requires collaboration, and that is what Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, and other partners are doing as they work to create lower- and even negative-carbon concrete solutions. “What makes this initiative different is that it encourages cooperation between design professionals and product manufacturers: The pathway to net zero carbon buildings.”
This article in the new edition of THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS explores the role that architects and engineers play in building modern society.
The article states that, “according to the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, the built environment accounts for 39% of global CO2 emissions. Reducing and eventually eliminating these emissions is a significant component in any strategy to address climate change. Building operations such as air conditioning and lighting are responsible for 28% of a building’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Through improved technology, more stringent building codes, and cleaner energy grids, we are making significant progress towards net zero energy buildings. Although we still have work to do to make all buildings net zero, we know how to get there.”
Concrete is used in every building, and the article states that “of all the construction materials, design professionals have the greatest influence over concrete.”
“What has become abundantly clear is that it will take a collaborative effort between the design community and product manufacturing community to get to zero carbon. That’s why Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG) has embarked upon a concrete research project to develop a pathway to net zero carbon buildings. We’ve partnered with the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Ozinga Brothers (a concrete producer in Chicago), and host of materials and technology providers to develop concrete mixes with low, zero or even negative carbon footprints.”
The insightful article concludes thus: “Ultimately, we want to put what we learn into practice by designing and building a project using the low, zero, negative carbon concrete mixes we develop. We plan to publish our findings to share the successes and challenges and will write a guide specification that encourages these innovations. What makes this initiative different is that it encourages cooperation between design professionals and product manufacturers: The pathway to net zero carbon buildings.”