How green concrete is reducing carbon footprints in construction
In this episode of The Building Sustainably Podcast, Conall Boland, Senior Sustainability Consultant at RPS Republic of Ireland, joins James Bowman to dive into the transformative role of green concrete in reducing the carbon footprint of the construction industry.
Episode overview
In episode 3 of The Building Sustainably Podcast, Conall Boland, Senior Sustainability Consultant at RPS Republic of Ireland, joins James Bowman to dive into the transformative role of green concrete in reducing the carbon footprint of the construction industry. They discuss why concrete is a major contributor to carbon emissions, Ireland's plan toward low-carbon concrete and sustainable construction, and how smart procurement can transform concrete standards.
Conall leads the sustainability team for the RPS Republic of Ireland business. With 12 years of experience as a Board Member and Deputy Chairperson of An Bord Pleanála, he brings a wealth of knowledge in navigating the complexities of sustainability and tackling climate change. His expertise spans energy, transport, water, resource management, governance, and change management.
Listen now
The research internationally suggests that maybe 15-20% reductions in carbon and construction can be achieved just at the design stage. That's really promising. It doesn't necessarily cost you any more money and could possibly reduce your capital costs if you make some of those design decisions.
Conall Boland
Sustainability - Senior Consultant
Key highlights
05:41 - 10:13 - Innovative Materials to Reduce Carbon Emissions - Concrete is a major contributor to carbon emissions, primarily due to the cement used in its production, which accounts for 80-90% of its embodied carbon footprint. Cement production is energy-intensive and releases significant CO2, with two-thirds of emissions deriving from the chemical process itself. To tackle this challenge, innovative solutions include replacing a portion of cement with sustainable alternatives like ground granulated blast furnace slag and pulverised fly ash, both of which enhance durability while reducing carbon impact.
15:19 - 23:39 - Ireland's Bold Move Toward Low-Carbon Concrete - In addressing the urgent housing crisis and the environmental impact of construction, Ireland is taking a significant step forward with its new six-point plan for low-carbon concrete procurement. Originating from the national climate action plan, this initiative aims to standardise the use of low-carbon materials across all public sector projects, ensuring that local authorities and government departments work towards the same sustainable goals.
32:10 - 36:11 - The Key to Greener Infrastructure and Sustainable Projects - As climate action plans gain traction, understanding carbon budgets is becoming crucial for project funding and approval. With the introduction of PAS 2080, a carbon management standard developed in the UK, projects are required to assess their carbon footprints rigorously. This means that all projects will increasingly need to demonstrate their carbon efficiency and innovation in reducing emissions.
45:43 - 49:03 - How Smart Procurement Can Transform Concrete Standards - To drive the future of green procurement and concrete, we need to establish more sophisticated and actionable guidelines. Currently, the Irish government sets achievable short-term targets like requesting Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and requiring at least a 30% reduction in traditional cement content. However, looking ahead, we should aim for a rating system similar to energy efficiency labels, where procurement teams can select concrete based on its carbon footprint, such as targeting a maximum of 300 kg of CO2 per cubic metre by 2025 and progressively reducing that to just 50 kg by 2050.
Transcript
Related insights
Related services
Get involved
Key contacts
James Bowman
Director - Project Management
Conall Boland
Sustainability - Senior Consultant