Why Procurement Matters

The report examines pathways to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete in the Northeastern US, emphasizing the role of government procurement in driving market demand for low-carbon alternatives. It details technical solutions like supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), the process and cost of carbon reporting via EPDs, and the associated economic and health impacts.

• Cement production is the primary driver of concrete's carbon footprint, accounting for up to 90 percent of the material's total embodied carbon due to the energy required for clinker production.
• Several emissions reduction pathways are available in the Northeastern US, including the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) like fly ash, silica fume, and ground granulated blast furnace slag, as well as Portland limestone cement (Type 1L), recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), and kiln efficiency upgrades.
• Ready-mix concrete products in the Northeastern US generally exhibit a higher global warming potential (GWP) than the national average across various compressive strengths. For example, 4,000 psi concrete in the Northeast has an average GWP of 342 kg CO2e compared to a national average of 307 kg CO2e.
• Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are the industry standard for reporting carbon content, but they involve costs for suppliers. Initial setup fees for a single plant range from $3,000 to $5,200, with annual subscriptions between $1,500 and $2,990, plus separate third-party verification fees that can reach $2,000 for a single EPD.
• Low-carbon concrete can offer cost benefits to manufacturers; SCMs can reduce cement blend costs by up to $45/ton, and using recycled concrete aggregate on-site can save 60 to 80 percent compared to natural aggregate.
• While some buyers report a small cost premium for low-carbon concrete in the Northeast ($2–$20 per cubic yard), over 55 percent of businesses in a US General Services Administration survey stated these products cost about the same as conventional concrete.
• Reducing cement production emissions addresses significant pollution issues, as the sector is the third largest industrial source of pollution in the US, emitting over 500,000 tons of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and carbon monoxide annually.
• The use of SCMs like fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) in concrete helps immobilize hazardous elements—such as lead, arsenic, and chromium—diverting them from landfills and ponds where they could contaminate groundwater.

APA

RMI (2022). Why Procurement Matters. https://rmi.org/resources/low-carbon-concrete-in-the-northeastern-united-states/

Chicago

RMI. Why Procurement Matters. 2022. https://rmi.org/resources/low-carbon-concrete-in-the-northeastern-united-states/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Why Procurement Matters |date=27 June 2022 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/low-carbon-concrete-in-the-northeastern-united-states/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2022why, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Why Procurement Matters}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2022}, month = jun, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/low-carbon-concrete-in-the-northeastern-united-states/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }