Author: Cement Optimized News

October’s bipartisan passage of “Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act of 2011” (H.R. 2681) by the U.S. House of Representatives was overwhelmingly called a triumph by construction industry leaders.

Total shipments of portland and blended cement in the United States and Puerto Rico were about 7.9 million mt in August 2011, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This was 8.0% higher compared with shipments for August 2010. Total shipments for the year through August were approximately 46.7 million mt, slightly higher compared to the same period in 2010.

With countless industry resources, publishers, blogs and social media communities on the internet, the ability to find a single point for expertise and opinions that integrates the best information on green construction was the driving force behind U.S. Concrete Inc.’s launch of www.concrete-greenbuilding.com.

Holcim (US) Inc. announced recently that 13 of its U.S. facilities achieved a milestone in employee safety—specifically no lost-time injuries, during August and September 2011.

The Missouri Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration, the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center at Iowa State University’s Institute for Transportation, the Essroc Italcementi Group, and Lehigh Hanson, recently began extensive research on the environmental benefits of using concrete made with a new cement product in the construction of highways.

The Ohio Aggregates and Industrial Minerals Association recently awarded Cemex USA the 2011 Reclamation Achievement Award for the ongoing, successful reclamation of one of its partially active quarries in Fairborn.

The need to decrease energy usage and subsequent emissions from the building sector has been at the forefront of U.S. green movement.