Green Concrete – Where We Are Now and How Green Can We Get?
Date: April 27, 2022
Time: Noon – 1:00 pm CST
Presenter: Kevin MacDonald, PhD, P.E. (President, Beton Consulting Engineers)
Credits: 1 PDH/1AIA CEU
Registration Link: https://cvent.me/8ZMV7E
Description: Green building is the concept of constructing buildings we need today without depleting resources for future generations. In the new world of sustainable building, information about the strength, durability, and indestructible nature of concrete as a resourceful building material is emerging. Amid the teardown-and-replace mentality still pervasive in the world today, concrete stands out defiantly. Try to replace concrete with an alternative building material, and you'll be hard pressed to find a substitute possessing the same thermal qualities, design flexibility, and permanence. This presentation will discuss where we are at as a green industry and the various ‘green” efforts that have been used in concrete production, such as substituting relatively high percentage of cement by fly ash (up to 100%), the use of other natural pozzolans, and development of concrete with recycled or waste materials. The presenter will also discuss where the industry might be headed in the future. Finally, problems in the realization of and potential barriers to green concrete construction are also discussed.
Learning Objectives:
- 1. Understand the basics of SCM replacement in concrete mixtures.
- 2. At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will have a better understanding of what is being done to make concrete construction more environmentally friendly.
- 3. Learn where the concrete construction industry might be headed with regards to green building and sustainability.
- 4. Understand the problems in the realization of and potential barriers to green concrete construction.
Speaker Bio: Kevin is Beton’s founder and president. He is a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and a member of ASTM, ASCE, the Concrete Society and Professional Engineers Ontario. His commitment to ACI includes a role as the past chair of the 132-Responsibility in Concrete Construction and chair of subcommittee 130-0B Production/Transport/Construction and 302 Construction of Concrete Floors. Further, he is a member of ACI committees 211-Proportioning Concrete Mixtures, 212-Chemical Admixtures, 223-Shrinkage-Compensating Concrete, and 232-Fly Ash in Concrete and 318. In addition to his concrete consulting work, Kevin is an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in the construction management program where he teaches courses in concrete, reinforced concrete design and heavy construction. He brings considerable experience in field and lab concrete, quality control and problem-solving to his students and clients. He earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering as well as a Master’s and PhD in Engineering Materials from the University of Windsor in Ontario. Quality of concrete remains one of Kevin’s interests. He is heavily involved in ACI certification with the Aggregate and Ready Mixed Concrete Association of Minnesota.
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.
