Slag cement makes concrete 'greener' - News - Brief Article

Concrete Producer, The, Jan, 2004

Slag cement in concrete reduces the environmental impact of concrete construction, according to new research by the Slag Cement Association (SCA). The study comprises two Life Cycle Inventories (LCIs) examining the manufacturing of slag cement and slag cement concrete.

Replacing portland cement with slag cement in a 5000-psi concrete mix in amounts of 35% and 50% reduces greenhouse emissions per cubic yard of concrete by 31% and 45%, respectively. The embodied energy to produce concrete is similarly reduced. Construction Technology Laboratories Inc., Skokie, Ill., performed the research.

The LCIs compile information on materials and energy inputs, including emissions to air, land, and water, associated with the making of slag cement concrete. The studies look at the process from "cradle to gate," considering energy, materials, and emissions from the cradle (extracting raw materials from the earth) to the gate (the ready-mix concrete plant gate).

The U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System recognizes using slag cement as a sustainable construction technique. LEED-registered projects across the country are using slag cement concrete to build lasting, sustainable structures. For more information, visit SCA's Web site at www.slagcement.org.