College - Author 1
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Department - Author 1
Construction Management Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Construction Management
Date
5-2024
Primary Advisor/Subject Matter Expert (SME)
Phil Barlow, College of Architecture and Environmental Design, Construction Management Department
Abstract/Summary
The concrete industry is one of the most energy-intensive sectors of construction. Specifically, the cement production aspect is the most energy intensive, and produces the most carbon emissions. Concrete, a material ubiquitous with nearly every facet of construction; certain types of structures are composed of nearly all concrete. Production of cement is one of the biggest contributors to emissions within the industry. There have been initiatives to reduce or offset emissions from this process, through things like carbon capture, and the purchase of carbon or emissions credits. The objective of this paper was to investigate a new method of carbon sequestration which utilizes returned concrete to enhance the earth’s natural process of weathering. Through interviews with industry stakeholders, perspectives on returned concrete use was examined. This paper found that there are current uses for returned concrete which help to reduce overall emissions within the industry, and require fewer resources compared to the new method. Through the interviews, it was found that there are other sources of concrete waste that could be used for carbon sequestration while reducing waste in landfills. The use of returned concrete for carbon sequestration is promising, on a small scale, especially with recycled material.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cmsp/785
Poster Board
SP Proposal - Concrete carbon sequestration.pdf (358 kB)
Proposal
Senior Project Evaluation and Reflection.pdf (116 kB)
Reflection