Last week, NRMCA Senior Director of Sustainability, Codes and Standards Tien Peng discussed the growing interest in Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) before a diverse audience of engineers, architects and material suppliers at the USGBC Atlanta Chapter meeting. The program also featured Professor Gentry from Georgia Tech who summarized his research in LCA and its impact to the architectural profession. 

Approximately 30 participants attended the session on LCA, focusing on material transparency and the initiatives underway from the concrete industry, including the development of a concrete Product Category Rule and the establishment of NRMCA’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) Program. Findings of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSH) on LCA of concrete buildings and pavements were also presented.

Peng was invited to speak at the event by Chris Walker of NRMCA member Argos USA. Walker is an active participant in the USGBC Atlanta Chapter and worked with chapter members to arrange the education session. NRMCA encourages its members to participate in USGBC chapters and offer topics and speakers for education programs. For those who feel comfortable presenting, NRMCA has prepared presentations ranging from specifying sustainable concrete to LCA of concrete structures. For the most complex topics, NRMCA can also provide technical staff to present at USGBC chapters.