MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub Working to Meet Climate Action Plan Goals

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A research hub at MIT is already working to address one of the key messages of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan: changing our nation’s infrastructure and energy use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSHub) has been working since 2010 to actively address two of President Obama’s key points: building a 21st century transportation sector and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  

The U.S. transportation sector burns more than 174 billion gallons of fuel each year, making up 27 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. Strategies for improving fuel efficiency can be difficult to regulate and outcomes from such policies may take years to realize. CSHub research has shown that simply employing a more rigid pavement design can reduce vehicle fuel consumption by 0.1 – 1 percent. While this may seem minor, the impact is large when aggregated to the nation’s transportation fleet. Considering that trucks alone travel roughly 300 million miles and consume more than 47 million gallons of fuel each year, leading to 425 million tons of CO2 emissions, there is a potentially tremendous annual impact.

By strategically designing and maintaining our nation’s roadways, we have a lever to improve fuel efficiency without relying on vehicle fuel standards and maintenance practices.

The CSHub is working to find new ways to produce concrete that minimize the use of energy as well as improve its longevity and durability.

Read the news release at http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2013/concrete-response-obamas-climate-change-plan.

For more information on the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub, contact Patti Flesher, 847-972-9136, or Jeremy Gregory, 

About PCA
Headquartered in Skokie, Illinois with offices in Washington, DC, PCA represents America’s cement manufacturers, serving as a powerful and vocal advocate for sustainability, jobs creation, economic growth, sound infrastructure investment, and overall innovation and excellence in construction throughout the U.S. More information on PCA programs is available at www.cement.org.