Sustainable Building

ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATIONS (EPDS)

The Canadian precast industry has developed industry-wide Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) to allow architects, engineers, building owners, and other specifiers to understand better the environmental impacts of precast and prestressed concrete products.
The CPCI EPDs are "cradle-to-gate", encompassing the product's life cycle stages of raw material extraction, transportation of raw materials, and manufacturing to finish product.

The Canadian precast industry has developed industry-wide Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) to allow architects, engineers, building owners, and other specifiers to understand better the environmental impacts of precast and prestressed concrete products.
The CPCI EPDs are "cradle-to-gate", encompassing the product's life cycle stages of raw material extraction, transportation of raw materials, and manufacturing to finish product.

Industry Progress in Decarbonization

The Canadian precast concrete industry, through CPCI, has been tracking and reporting the environmental impacts of its products and operations since 2015. In 2023, CPCI published its third round of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for various precast product categories with regionalized breakdowns.
Since the publication of their first industry-average EPD in 2015, the Canadian precast industry has seen a 22% reduction in our A1-A3embodied carbon. See the "Drive to Decarbonization" publication.

 

Source : Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) - Canadian Precast Concrete Institute

The Canadian precast concrete industry, through CPCI, has been tracking and reporting the environmental impacts of its products and operations since 2015. In 2023, CPCI published its third round of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for various precast product categories with regionalized breakdowns.
Since the publication of their first industry-average EPD in 2015, the Canadian precast industry has seen a 22% reduction in our A1-A3embodied carbon. See the "Drive to Decarbonization" publication.

 

Source : Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) - Canadian Precast Concrete Institute

The CPCI is paving the way towards a carbon-neutral future for Canadian precast concrete. By 2050, the industry is committed to completely eliminating its emissions. To achieve this, it will focus on optimizing production and construction processes, managing carbonation, and deploying carbon capture technologies.

The CPCI is paving the way towards a carbon-neutral future for Canadian precast concrete. By 2050, the industry is committed to completely eliminating its emissions. To achieve this, it will focus on optimizing production and construction processes, managing carbonation, and deploying carbon capture technologies.

Roadmap to Net-Zero

CPCI has developed a Roadmap which presents a path forward for the Canadian precast concrete industry toward net-zero emissions by 2050.

Decarbonization has become a top priority for the concrete industry in Canada. Over the next thirty years, the precast concrete industry in Canada is expected to grow significantly as the demand for new prefabricated infrastructure, commercial and residential structures continue to increase. If no action is taken now, carbon emissions will continue to increase with industry growth.

The Canadian Precast Concrete Industry Roadmap to Net-Zero by 2050, which aligns with the net-zero roadmaps developed by the Cement Association of Canada (CAC) and the Global Concrete and Cement Association (GCCA), has a multipronged approach to reducing carbon emissions.

The roadmap will focus on four key areas for carbon reduction:

  • Optimize Precast Concrete Production
  • Optimize Design & Construction of precast structures
  • Quantify and Account for Carbonation, the natural uptake of atmospheric CO2 by concrete
  • Implementation of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Technology

Source:  Net Zero Roadmap - Canadian Precast Concrete Institute

CPCI has developed a Roadmap which presents a path forward for the Canadian precast concrete industry toward net-zero emissions by 2050.

Decarbonization has become a top priority for the concrete industry in Canada. Over the next thirty years, the precast concrete industry in Canada is expected to grow significantly as the demand for new prefabricated infrastructure, commercial and residential structures continue to increase. If no action is taken now, carbon emissions will continue to increase with industry growth.

The Canadian Precast Concrete Industry Roadmap to Net-Zero by 2050, which aligns with the net-zero roadmaps developed by the Cement Association of Canada (CAC) and the Global Concrete and Cement Association (GCCA), has a multipronged approach to reducing carbon emissions.

The roadmap will focus on four key areas for carbon reduction:

  • Optimize Precast Concrete Production
  • Optimize Design & Construction of precast structures
  • Quantify and Account for Carbonation, the natural uptake of atmospheric CO2 by concrete
  • Implementation of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Technology

Source:  Net Zero Roadmap - Canadian Precast Concrete Institute

Resilient Structures

The government of Canada has recognized resilience to climate change as a key component of its National Adaptation Strategy.
For many years, the design and construction sector has associated "sustainability" with carbon footprint. However, carbon footprint is only one component of sustainability, and resiliency has been recognized as an equally important pillar of sustainability.
Prefabricated precast concrete offers an ideal solution for climate-resilient structure that has the added benefits of fast construction, cost-efficiency, reduced waste, and unlimited aesthetic options.

Source : Resilient Structures - Canadian Precast Concrete Institute

The government of Canada has recognized resilience to climate change as a key component of its National Adaptation Strategy.
For many years, the design and construction sector has associated "sustainability" with carbon footprint. However, carbon footprint is only one component of sustainability, and resiliency has been recognized as an equally important pillar of sustainability.
Prefabricated precast concrete offers an ideal solution for climate-resilient structure that has the added benefits of fast construction, cost-efficiency, reduced waste, and unlimited aesthetic options.

Source : Resilient Structures - Canadian Precast Concrete Institute

Additional information