How Do I Write a Sustainable Concrete Specification?
Date: February 23, 2022
Time: Noon – 1:00 pm CST
Presenter: Donn Thompson AIA, LEED AP BD+C (Senior Director, Building Innovations at the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association)
Credits: 1 PDH and/or 1 AIA CES LU (AIA Course #MCC022322)
Registration Link: https://cvent.me/rv3ZoQ
Description: Concrete is used in nearly every structure we build today, including buildings, bridges, homes and infrastructure. With greater emphasis placed on sustainability, design professionals are faced with the challenge of meeting traditional design criteria with evolving criteria that support green building and efforts to reduce impact on climate change. Performance-based specifications for concrete represent an important synergy with sustainability initiatives because they provide the opportunity to optimize mixtures for performance that can also reduce environmental impacts. Prescriptive specifications often adversely impact the environmental footprint of concrete structures. This presentation outlines how concrete performance can be improved while lowering environmental footprint by implementing performance-based specifications.
Learning Objectives:
- 1. Understand the difference between performance-based specification and prescriptive specifications.
- 2. Discover how performance-based specifications can improve performance and lower environmental impact of concrete structures.
- 3. Learn how to implement performance-based specifications in projects.
- 4. Demonstrate the importance of balancing structural and architectural performance of concrete with green building strategies.
Speaker Bio: Donn C. Thompson is the Senior Director, Building Innovation for the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association. Based in Kenosha, WI, he supports the Build with Strength program, demonstrating the first cost and long-term advantages of ready mixed concrete building systems throughout eight Midwest states. A licensed architect and LEED accredited, Donn has over 20 years of practical experience in design and construction. More recently he has worked for over 23 years in the cement and concrete industry holding a variety of technical promotion and sales positions.
About the Sustainable Structures Webinar Series
Now in its second year, the Sustainable Structures Webinar Series was developed cooperatively in 2021 by cast-in-place and precast concrete associations from the Midwest region of the United States including Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The goal of the cooperative effort is to bring a greater awareness of the sustainable and resilient nature of concrete building systems to the design, construction, and development communities via quality continuing education programs.
Continuing Education Credits
AIA credits for these live webinars are being processed by the Minnesota Concrete Council – AIA Provider G538. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance from the Minnesota Concrete Council for one professional development hour (PDH) within ten business days of the conclusion of the event.
