Search Climate Insights Directory

This report provides guidance on transitioning the construction industry from prescriptive concrete specifications—which dictate a specific 'recipe'—to Performance Standards and Specifications (PSS) that focus on desired properties. The author argues that PSS is essential for scaling low-carbon concrete and reducing sector emissions by 25% or more, as traditional standards are geared toward ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The document outlines stakeholder roles, suggests specific tests for workability, strength, and durability, and provides case studies from the US and international examples to demonstrate how PSS can be trialed on real-world projects.

RMI proposes four priority initiatives for state DOTs to reduce the embodied carbon of concrete via the FHWA LCTM program: integrating Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) into procurement, adjusting material specifications to increase SCM usage and blended cements, implementing Performance Engineered Mixture (PEM) demonstration projects, and validating emerging near-zero or zero-emissions concrete technologies.