Page 22 - RENJ Sept.21

20 SEPTEMBER 2021
SUSTAINABLY SOURCED
Sudler turns to carbon-reducing concrete technology, seeking greener construction methods
One way to reduce the carbon footprint of the construction process, according to Sudler
Cos., is to use concrete that locks carbon away for good. That’s why the Chatham-based company is using a technology known as CarbonCure to build a new industrial park in South Carolina.
The carbon-injected concrete wins praise from others in the industry and, while such materials may not be available in New Jersey yet, could be a sign of things to come for builders.
“We’re seeking more sustainable development solutions moving forward,” said Brian Sudler, a
Brian Sudler
principal with Sudler Cos.
“We think it’s the right thing to do, and we think it’s our responsibility to find sustainable development techniques.”
carbon dioxide waste collected from other industries into wet cement mix, forming a mineral known as calcium carbonate that makes the concrete stronger, according to the company.
The process intrigues Jason Kliwinski, an architect and principal at Designs for Life in Lambertville, though he hasn’t used it yet.
“The technology looks very stable and very good,” Kliwinski said.
Carbon sequestering in concrete isn’t new, he said. More common is to use supplemental waste materials like slag, a byproduct of steel production, or fly ash, the residue from burning pulverized coal, to reduce the
amount of mined Portland cement in concrete. It’s a “different approach but basically the same results” as CarbonCure’s method, he said.
He noted that CarbonCure calls the carbon dioxide it uses a “refined CO2 ,” meaning
that other
By Marlaina Cockcroft
Concrete is one of the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the world, Sudler noted. According to CarbonCure’s website, every pound of regular cement emits about a pound of carbon dioxide, while CarbonCure concrete reduces CO2 by an average of 25 pounds per cubic yard. It does so by injecting
greenhouse
gases such as
methane or
nitrous oxide
may have
been stripped
out. “There’s
a byproduct
somewhere,” he said. CarbonCure didn’t respond to a request for further comment.
Jason Kliwinski
Sudler Cos. recently delivered a 206,140-square-foot manufacturing and distribution center in Fountain Inn, South Carolina, the first piece of its planned 2.5 million-square-foot Fox Hill Business Park. The project has used a carbon-reducing concrete technology known as CarbonCure, as the developer seeks more sustainable development solutions.
Courtesy: Sudler Cos.