The 2011 Holcim Corporate Sustainable Development Report shows that the Swiss construction materials giant Holcim Ltd. is on track to achieve its sustainability targets. The self-imposed targets for reducing dust and NOx emissions have been met, and Holcim remains a leader in the industry with the lowest CO2 emissions per metric ton of cement produced. For CEO Bernard Fontana, sustainable…
Read MoreAuthor: Cement Products News
Nonresidential building index debuts
McGraw-Hill Construction’s Dodge Momentum Index, a 12-month leading indicator of nonresidential building spending, will be available monthly for material and product interests; architectural, engineering and construction professionals; and, economist and Wall Street analysts. Based on a 91% correlation between Dodge construction planning reports and the Commerce Department’s Put in Place spending over the past 10 years, the index is poised…
Read MoreFederal agency data shows fly ash far from hazardous
An American Coal Ash Association-sponsored report analyzing the most up-to-date U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) information available concerning coal ash constituents concludes that the concentrations of metals in the material, with few exceptions, are below environmental screening levels for residential soils and similar in concentration to common dirt.
Read MoreEPA proposes updates, two-year deadline extension for 2010 cement standards
In response to a federal court ruling and industry data, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing changes to its 2010 air standards for the portland cement manufacturing industry. The proposal would continue the significant emission reductions from the 2010 standards, while providing industry additional compliance flexibilities, including more time to implement the proposed updates by extending the compliance date…
Read MoreCement Totals – April 2012
Total shipments of portland and blended cement in the United States and Puerto Rico were almost 6.7 million mt in April 2012, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This was 17.5% higher compared with shipments for April 2011. Shipments for the year through April were 21.9 million mt, up about 19% for the same period in 2011.
Read MoreASTM C595 acknowledges 15% limestone threshold
The ASTM C595-12 Standard Specification for Blended Hydraulic Cements defines requirements for a new powder: Type IL, portland-limestone blended cement, which includes 5% to 15% limestone as an ingredient. Adoption of Type IL product has the potential to reduce environmental impact of cement production by about 10%, while maintaining performance characteristics concrete producers require for specified mixes. The requirements for…
Read MorePCA chairman urges public policy that incorporates durability, sustainability
At the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum in Rio de Janeiro, Portland Cement Association Chairman of the Board Aris Papadopoulos, CEO of Titan America, called on business leaders of the world to include resilient construction in public policy.
Read MoreCement consumption forecast adjusted favorably for second time in 2012
Source: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill. With the first half of 2012 experiencing favorable weather conditions, gains in residential and nonresidential construction activity and robust gains in cement intensities, the new PCA forecast nearly doubles the expected increase in cement consumption for the year. The association’s revised its spring forecast upward, anticipating a 6.9 percent increase in 2012 from 2011…
Read MoreEPA to hold NESHAP public meeting in Dallas
Source: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill. Acting on a request from the Dallas-area environmental group Downwinders at Risk, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public hearing on its proposed rule, ‘‘National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for the Portland Cement Manufacturing Industry and Standards of Performance for Portland Cement Plants’’ (July 18, 2012 Federal Register), commonly known…
Read MoreCemex launches latest ready-mix brand for sustainable building
Source: Cemex, S.A.B. de C.V., Monterrey, Mexico Mexican construction materials giant Cemex recently launched its latest global ready-mix concrete brand, Insularis, offering a portfolio of construction solutions and products designed to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, thus intensifying the company’s commitment to bring about industry-transforming sustainable construction practices. Insularis is already being offered in Mexico and France, and the…
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