An Electrifying World Of Concrete

The Strip’s casino new marquis LED lights weren’t the only spotlights of energy efficiency on display in Las Vegas this month. In the last 18 months, many casinos have opted to switch to the environmentally friendly lighting systems to be more sustainable.

Using electrification technology is also becoming an important tool as the concrete industry tries to lessen concrete carbon footprint on a life of structure. Thus, the other spotlight on the importance of electrification occurred in the exhibit halls of the summer edition of the World of Concrete.

Last September, several Indian cement manufacturers signed on to Climate Ambition, an international effort to make concrete construction more sustainable that was launched by the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA). Their initiative has sparked the global concrete industry to become carbon neutral by 2050. To learn the GCCA Road map to carbon neutrality visit: https://gccassociation.org/climate-ambition/.

Following the lead of the GCCA, there was an important announcement by the USA’s Portland Cement Association (PCA). PCA members are working on their own roadmap to join GCCA and other global cement organizations to meet the zero-carbon challenge.

Meeting this zero-carbon goal requires change in practically all aspects of today’s concrete construction operations. Cement manufacturers and design professionals have been adopting new procedures and techniques to help reduce carbon emissions during material production and throughout the structure’s service life but their efforts account for only part of the goal.  In their white paper, GCCA reported all participants in the concrete construction design build team had to adopt more ways to reduce their carbon emissions.

Switching Out Fossil Fuel Engines

Contractors can play a supporting role in achieving this carbon-neutral goal. Most of the placement tools and equipment used in concrete construction are powered by fossil fuels. By opting for electrified equipment, contractors would be reducing emission of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere and using renewable energy during construction.

At World of Concrete, several equipment manufactures announced innovations for the electrification of common concrete construction tools including power trowels, buggies and even paving machines.

Honda Engines expands its future of electrics at the 2021 World of Concrete with the launch of the Honda eGX, an advanced electrified power unit. It is Honda’s first battery-powered motor designed to be incorporated into OEM power equipment products for indoor and outdoor use. The new Honda eGX is the world's first Honda GX-quality commercial motor that can be interchanged with a Honda GX internal combustion engine on selected outdoor power equipment. The new motor has a comparable shaft, mounting position and footprint as the Honda GX100 and Honda GX120 models with internal combustion engines. Further, the dimensions of the Honda eGX and the Honda GX100 and Honda GX120 are comparable, allowing the Honda eGX to be conveniently and easily mounted into OEM rammers and vibratory plate compactors (as well as other applications) designed to house either of the Honda GX engines.

Allen Engineering Corporation unveiled its all-new AW16-B battery-powered buggy designed specifically for projects or jobsites where reduced emissions are needed. The AW16-B wheeled buggy is equipped with a Vanguard 48-volt lithium-ion battery pack that allows it to reach eight- to nine-hour run times. Among the Allen Engineering buggy lineup, this model is the only fully electric option. The buggy also features a limited-slip transaxle that provides more mobility than other similar models. And operators can feel safe with the dynamic electric brake that doesn’t allow the buggy to move unless the throttle is engaged.  With a limited-slip transaxle, the AW16-B is more mobile than your average wheel buggy and its Dynamic Electric Brake gives safety to the operator by not allowing the buggy to move unless the throttle is engaged.

GOMACO launched the world’s first battery-powered slipform curb machine, the CC-1200e at World of Concrete. The GOMACO CC-1200e electric curb machine is equipped with a power dense 48 VDC lithium-ion battery pack. The result is a paver with zero-exhaust emissions, reduced vibrations and zero engine noise. The lithium-ion batteries provide enough power for a full day of paving. Charging options include the standard eight to 10-hour normal charge rate or an optional two-hour fast charge system.

Moving Towards Carbon Free With Innovation

GCCA recognizes that there must be other innovators with ideas that can help reduce carbon emissions in concrete construction. GCCA recently launched the Innovandi Open Challenge. This global program is bringing together tech start-ups and GCCA member companies to drive innovation and help solve the climate challenge. Their areas of interest include: carbon capture technologies; calcination technologies – for heating materials during the concrete manufacturing process, carbon use in the construction supply chain, and improved recycling of concrete.

If an innovation is selected, experts from GCCA member companies will partner directly with the start-ups to develop their technologies, utilizing their network, world-class expertise and facilities to bring them closer to commercialization and helping the sector to decarbonize. The first-round applications are due July 6, 2021.

Now Is The Right Time To Step Up

Whether it is through electrification, mix design, or process innovation, our industry is posed to be come a leader in demonstrating how concrete’s the best building material of all choices is. If you have any ideas on how we can achieve zero carbon in our lifetime, please share them.

Stay safe and focused on improvement.

Rick Yelton

Rick.yelton@informa.com