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Cement Plants Take Steps to Go Green
Industry makes strides to ensure concrete is sustainable from the
start
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| Lafarge North America Inc. was honored with
special recognition for environmental improvement and stewardship.
The Fredonia, Kan., plant was honoted with an outreach award. (Photo
courtesy of Lafarge North America Inc) |
At the heart of concrete is cement, the gray powder that combines with
water to bind aggregates, sand and other cementitious materials to create
one of the world’s strongest building materials. While concrete’s
value in sustainable construction is undisputed, environmental critics
have for years pointed the finger at cement manufacture, a complex, energy-intensive
process.
In fact, domestic cement production accounts for only 0.33 percent of
U.S. energy consumption—less than the steel and wood industries—and
today, the industry accounts for less than 1.5 percent of U.S. carbon
dioxide emissions, far below that of other industries like power and transportation.
Still, the cement industry is embracing new technologies and initiatives
to make its manufacturing process cleaner, less energy-intensive, and
more environmentally friendly. “With the federal, state and local
governments providing incentives to construct ‘green buildings’
that conserve environmental resources, the building, design and construction
industries are placing an additional focus on long-lasting, energy-wise
structures,” says David Shepherd, AIA, LEED AP, director of sustainable
development for PCA. “As this design transformation continues, the
industry needs to inform designers why and how concrete is a responsible
choice to
How is Cement Made?
There are four key steps in the manufacture of cement:
First, raw materials like limestone, sand and clay are quarried from
land near a cement plant. Once the materials are blended and ground
together, they are heated in a kiln, in which temperatures reach 1,870
degrees Centigrade (3,400 Fahrenheit). The process forms clinker,
small round balls of material, which are cooled and ground together
with a small amount of gypsum. The resulting material is portland
cement. More. |
meet these needs. Concurrently, cement manufacturers must continue to
improve their production methods, creating more sustainable materials
from which architects can choose.”
Cement Manufacturing Sustainability Program
Announced in June 2004, the Cement Manufacturing Sustainability (CMS)
Program is one component of a multi-year industry initiative to encourage
sustainable cement manufacturing processes. “The CMS Program represents
a common vision among manufacturers to formally adopt principles, performance
measures and reporting protocol designed to guide business practices in
an environmentally responsible manner,” says Shepherd.
“A product itself may be sustainable, but if you’re producing
it in an unfriendly way, then who’s going to listen to you?”
asks Andy O’Hare, vice president of regulatory affairs for PCA.
O’Hare and others with PCA helped coordinate and develop the CMS
Program, working with industry members and government agencies. “You
have to produce a product that is high quality and environmentally sustainable,
and you also have to manufacture it in a sustainable way.”
Code of Conduct
At the core of the CMS Program is a voluntary code, adopted by the PCA
Board of Directors, that calls on the cement industry to adhere to principles
that support the integration of economic, social and environmental aspects
of cement manufacturing. Manufacturers who adhere to the code agree to
continue current environmentally sound practices and improve in seven
areas:
- place the highest value on the safety and health of employees, neighbors
and customers when producing and distributing cement
- implement effective controls which reduce or eliminate the release
of pollutants to the air, land and water
- seek ways to manage wastes in a responsible and environmentally sound
manner
- pursue improvements in energy efficiency and promote resource conservation
- seek ways to safely use recyclable wastes as raw materials, fuels
and product components
- conduct mining operations in a responsible and environmentally sound
manner
- participate with lawmakers, regulators and others to develop rational
and effective environmental laws and regulations.
Hitting the Target
The CMS Program is more than just a statement of intention. It is a component
of a larger effort by the industry to continually improve on sustainability
efforts, including setting targets for reduction of greenhouse gases and
other emissions.
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| Cement plants across the U.S. and Canada are
participating in industry-generated programs designed to improve energy
efficiency and reduce emissions. Pictured here is Holcim (US) Inc.'s
Holly Hill Plant in Holly Hill, S.C. (Photo courtesy of Holcim (US)
Inc.) |
In early 2003, the industry committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions
by 10 percent (from a 1990 baseline) per ton of cementitious product produced
by 2020. A second target adopted is a 60 percent reduction (also from
a 1990 baseline) in the amount of cement kiln dust (CKD) disposed per
ton of clinker produced by 2020. And discussions are underway for a third
target, focusing on plant level implementation of environmental management
systems.
While PCA has collected information annually from its members since 1970,
new environmental performance measures have been established that will
measure environmental improvement progress, which will be reported in
an annual Sustainable Development Report.
Unified VISION and Focus
PCA and its member companies developed the CMS Program through cooperation
with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy and
other agencies. The program aligns with the government’s Climate
VISION program, a public-private partnership designed to help meet President
Bush’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 18 percent by
2012. Climate VISION organizers work with industry to determine strategies
for improvement, create tools for measurement and reporting, and encourage
the development and adoption of environmentally sound technological improvements.
With the 12 participating industrial sectors—including cement—responsible
for between 40 and 45 percent of nationwide greenhouse gas emissions,
it’s clear that the program is poised to have a significant impact.
The cement industry developed a three-part strategy as part of its commitment
to the Climate VISION program:
Energy Efficiency – Improving energy efficiency
in the manufacturing process is a key goal for the cement industry.
Efforts since the 1970s have reduced energy consumption by 33 percent,
but plants throughout the U.S. continue to upgrade and improve work
practices and equipment to further reduce energy use and emissions.
Product Improvements – Steps during product
formulation can improve the end product, reduce the energy used during
manufacture and minimize the need for natural resources. For example,
a new industry commitment to include up to five percent of crushed limestone,
as well as industrial byproducts like fly ash, helps reduce carbon dioxide
emissions during manufacture.
New Applications – Research and product development
efforts are yielding new applications for concrete that improve energy
efficiency and durability of buildings, highways, homes and more.
Representatives from both the EPA and DOE work regularly with the cement
industry to track the progress of its voluntary programs. “We’re
very happy that they have a focus on process and product formulation,
with a very clear vision for energy efficiency,” says Elizabeth
Dutrow, director of industrial sector partnerships for EPA’s ENERGY
STAR program. “Each of our agencies is working with PCA to make
sure that they are able to accomplish their goal,” she adds.
One more component of the industry’s sustainable effort is participation
in the ENERGY STAR FOCUS on Energy Efficiency in Cement Manufacturing,
a forum for companies in the industry to discuss their common goals. The
cement industry’s first FOCUS forum was held in May 2004, which
resulted in a tool for plants to use in their everyday activities: “Energy
Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for Cement Making:
An ENERGY STAR Guide for Energy and Plant Managers.” The agency
is even investigating a program that would recognize energy-efficient
individual cement plants with the ENERGY STAR label.
Industry Honors Six Cement Plants for Environmental
Efforts More.
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