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Sustainable Development

WELCOME TO THE CITY OF THE FUTURE

A place where humans choose wise sustainable solutions. These are made possible by the wide variety of uses and attributes of concrete. It is time you get to know more about them.

Clean Energy

The mix of energy generation is evolving through achievements in engineering design, and advanced materials, among others. Concrete is a technically versatile product that can be used structurally in many different ways to allow for those new energy sources to consolidate as a viable alternative to those still relying in the use of fossil fuels. More

IEA target for reduction by 2050, 23% energy sector CO2 emissions using renewable and nuclear energy.
Source: IEA Energy Technology Perspectives 2010 BLUE Map vs. Baseline scenario.1

Mobility

Concrete features on many transportation infrastructure projects such as track beds for trains, light rail and trams; guided bus lanes and cycle tracks, where it provides a durable wearing surface for transport systems, offering potential in ecological and public health benefits from the reduction in energy use. More

IEA target for reduction by 2050, 37% transport sector CO2 emissions using cleaner transport systems and fuels.
Source: IEA Energy Technology Perspectives 2010 BLUE Map vs. Baseline scenario.

Urban Design

Urban planning and infrastructure has developed to reduce depletion of natural resources and facilitate a place for sustainable community. Concrete makes a significant contribution to the built environment, and it is widely used in major infrastructure projects in the field of water engineering. More

Heat-reflecting concrete surfaces help reduce up to 6°C (10°F) to mitigate the heat-island effect.
Source: Illinois Ready-mix Concrete Association (IRMCA).

Efficient Buildings

Concrete offers sustainable benefits that make it suitable for a variety of building types. For its durability and ease of construction, concrete is used in multi-story buildings, housing, and public infrastructure, including commercial and industrial buildings, schools, and hospitals. More

IEA target for reduction by 2050, 83% buildings sector CO2 through energy efficient buildings.
Source: IEA Energy Technology Perspectives 2010 BLUE Map vs. Baseline scenario.

Industrial Ecology

An approach to achieving greater levels of material and energy efficiency involves the concept of industrial ecology: the exchange of materials between different industrial sectors where the waste output of one industry becomes the feedstock of another. More

IEA target for reduction by 2050, 20% cement industry CO2 through sustainable cement production.
Source: IEA Energy Technology Perspectives 2010 Implementing Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) technology.

1 The International Energy Agency ETP 2010 Baseline scenario assumes governments introduce no new energy and climate policies. In contrast, the BLUE Map scenario sets the goal of halving global energy-related CO2 emissions by 2050 (compared to 2005 levels) and examines the least-cost means of achieving that goal through the deployment of existing and new low-carbon technologies.