With support and encouragement from industry members, NRMCA has updated its industry average environmental produce declaration (EPD) for concrete to comply with standards and the recently-published Product Category Rule (PCR). The third version of the EPD discloses the environmental impacts of concrete manufacturing for a wide range of concrete products. Like the previous versions, the new EPD reports impacts for a range of compressive strengths utilizing various percentages of SCMs and serves as a national proxy for the majority of concrete that is used in residential, commercial and public construction.
Accompanying the EPD is a Regional Benchmark Report that derives from the same life-cycle assessment (LCA) study that developed the EPD, and presents the impacts for average concrete mixtures at the national level and in eight different regions of the country. This report is the go-to reference when establishing an environmental baseline of concrete impacts, specifically pertaining to local codes or legislation. The report can also be used by concrete producers that have developed product-specific EPDs and want to compare the environmental impacts of their products with an industry baseline. However, only those who participated in the IW-EPD can utilize the report.
The reports were developed in collaboration with the industry under the consultation of the Athena Sustainable Materials Institute (ASMI). A total of 155 companies and subsidiaries with 1,954 plants covering national production helped this report to be published. The EPD and the Regional Benchmark Report were reviewed and third-party verified by NSF Certification, LLC. This effort is another example where the ready mixed concrete industry continues its leadership position when responding to product transparency within green rating systems, state and local legislation or other environmental initiatives.
The IW-EPD and Benchmark Report can be found here. As part of the Build With Strength campaign, NRMCA promotes member and industry competitiveness in marketplaces where product and company transparency is trending. For more information, contact James Bogdan at jbogdan@nrmca.org or 412-420-4138.
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association