Dive Brief:
- New York’s mandatory emissions limits for concrete used in state-funded public building and transportation projects will go into effect on January 1, 2025. Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement last week. They arise from a law signed in 2021 that calls for the development of these guidelines.
- The Buy Clean Concrete guidelines apply to all state agency contracts over $1 million involving the use of more than 50 cubic yards of concrete, or New York DOT contracts over $3 million that include at least 200 cubic yards of concrete. The guidelines include exceptions for emergency projects and those requiring high-strength or quick-cure concrete and do not apply to state authorities, according to the release.
- According to the release, the rules represent the first state-level mandate in the country to implement greenhouse gas emission limits that cover all of the agency’s projects.
Diving knowledge:
The guidelines require environmental product statements to be submitted for all concrete mixes used in qualified state construction projects and must demonstrate that they achieve an environmental impact below state-set limits, beginning Jan. 1 of 2025. Officials are working to provide concrete. producers with the technical assistance they need to meet these EPD requirements, according to the release.
With some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York aims to achieve a net-zero electricity sector by 2040, including 70% renewable energy generation by 2030 and net neutrality carbon to the entire economy by 2050, according to Hochul’s office.
The guidelines will affect construction costs and concrete availability, according to Sarah Patrie, vice president of transportation services for the New York State General Contractors Association.
“Producers will need to invest over the next three to 15 months in upgrading equipment, technology and methods to carry out environmental product declarations and reduce emissions,” Patrie said in an email. “We anticipate that the impacts will be greatest in rural areas of New York State, where concrete producers tend to be smaller plants, geographically further from project locations, and serve a greater annual volume of concrete lower than those in more urban areas”.
Nationally, concrete prices rose 0.5% in August and remain 8.7% higher than in August 2022, according to Analysis of Builders and Associated Contractors from US Bureau of Labor Statistics producer price index data.
looking ahead
However, guidelines like this offer an opportunity for innovation, especially as the industry moves toward a more sustainable future, Patrie said. The key priority should be the strength and durability of the concrete mixes, he added, while taking into account the workability and final finish requirements of the projects.
Carlo Scissura, president and CEO of the New York Building Congress, applauded the move to reduce emissions from concrete.
“The construction industry, like all sectors, has a responsibility to adopt more sustainable and cleaner systems and materials to combat climate change,” Scissura said in an email. “While there are many unknowns as New York makes this transition, we will work closely with our members and government partners to ensure that the industry can continue to build sustainably without being negatively impacted.”
The guidelines support those of the governor Initiative leading by example, which requires state agencies to collect New York-specific data on common construction materials, including concrete. This information will be used to set lower limits on concrete’s greenhouse gas emissions, starting in 2027.
“The adoption of the Buy Clean Concrete Guidelines marks a monumental step in our journey toward a greener, more sustainable New York State.” Hochul he said in the statement. “By setting mandatory emissions limits on concrete used in state-funded projects, we’re not just leading by example, we’re creating a tangible roadmap to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the board” .
