The Concrete Industry’s Vision for a Sustainable Future - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Concrete Industry’s Vision for a Sustainable Future

#1 man-made material

consumed by humanity

#2 material consumed

by humanity (after water)

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

Industry Image

Sustainable Development

Technical

Regulatory

Marketing

• 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

Sum of the Supply Chain Segments

Rock + Cement + Cementitious + Additives + Production + A&E + Construction

=

Concrete Structures

All vertical & horizontal applications

and concrete products

From:

CO2 footprint

of cement

To: Lifecycle

Eco-footprint

of concrete structures

Lifecycle eco-footprint

is subset of the

social value of concrete structures

.

We believe it

…but does the world know?

• Decision makers
• Policymakers
• Users/public

• 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

• 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 end-result of our industry supply chain

• Historic fragmentation has led us to overemphasize component thinking as opposed to system thinking
• Component-based solutions are sub-optimal compared to system solutions

• 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

• 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

• This thinking and corresponding action are long overdue
• Pressing challenges require we catch-up quickly

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Concrete structures provide a superior level of user safety, protection and peace of mind
• Disaster resistance is commonly accepted but usually understated

• 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

• Concrete structures offer greater disaster resistance, protecting essential community services and business continuity
• Commonly accepted but usually understated

• Concrete structures outlast the useful lives of other structures with minimal maintenance and repair
• Commonly accepted but usually understated

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

Industry Image

Concrete Joint Sustainability Initiative

Technical

ACI Committees

RMC Res and Ed Found.

PCA Ed Found.

Others

Regulatory

CRSI | NCMA | NRMCA

PCA | PCI | Others

Marketing

CRSI | NCMA | NRMCA

PCA | PCI | Others

• 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

‘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’

• 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

• Industry
• Association
• Company
• 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