NEU: An ACI Center of Excellence for Carbon Neutral Concrete, has released a new publication, The Low-Carbon Concrete Guide: Materials. The guide is authored by Mary Christiansen, Ph.D, LEED AP.
This guide focuses on practical, data-driven strategies for reducing the carbon footprint of concrete, with particular emphasis on the material and mixture decisions that designers, engineers, contractors, and policymakers make at the project level. The goal is to support performance-based choices that lower emissions meaningfully while meeting the safety, strength, and durability expected of traditional concrete.
The publication examines the role of concrete in global carbon emissions, life-cycle thinking, and carbon quantification tools, as well as a full spectrum of binder-level strategies, including SCMs, mineral fillers, blended cements, low-carbon portland cements, and alternative cements. It also introduces aggregate, reinforcement, and water-level pathways, along with supporting concepts such as mixture optimization and durability, as well as advanced concrete technologies to illustrate how material choices interact with long-term performance.
“We are excited that NEU could bring this detailed publication to the concrete industry,” said Kerry Sutton, executive director, NEU. “Mary Christiansen’s in-depth work on this guide has resulted in a valuable resource for both industry newcomers and experienced practitioners.”
The guide provides the context, background, and technical framework needed to understand low-carbon concrete materials and their implications for performance and sustainability.
The Low-Carbon Concrete Guide: Materials is available from the ACI store for $99 for ACI members and $129 for non-members. It can be downloaded at https://ow.ly/13cn50Xw4ci.
