NRMCA, as part of its Build with Strength building promotion program and in partnership with the California Nevada Cement Association (CNCA), presented to the Structural Engineers’ Association of California (SEAOC) in San Diego last week. Vice President of Sustainability Tien Peng and CNCA Executive Director Tom Tietz discussed significant changes to LEED v4, and how concrete contributes to green building and the recent developments in the cement industry. SEAOC members are extremely influential in building codes and legislative activities with a keen interest in disaster resiliency and climate change mitigation.

 

Peng demonstrated concrete industry’s leadership role in the transparency movement with environmental product declaration and its focus on life cycle perspective of buildings such as MIT Whole Building LCA initiatives. The group was also encouraged to utilize NRMCA’s Concrete Design Center which assists design professionals with cost estimating, structural support, energy analysis and life cycle assessments. With new interest in local disaster risk assessment and mitigation as well as long-term building issues such as climate change, concrete is recognized as the material of choice.