Environmental life-cycle assessment analyzes sustainability of concrete mixtures
CLEVELAND, OH, January 25, 2010 -- The North American Admixture Systems business of BASF Construction Chemicals today announced that it has developed an innovative Eco-Efficiency Analysis program that quantifies both the economic and ecological benefits of Green SenseSM Concrete mixtures. Green Sense Concrete, which was introduced to the marketplace in September 2009, is a revolutionary mix optimization service from BASF that results in new levels of concrete performance and sustainability.
Eco-Efficiency Analysis (EEA) examines the environmental life cycle of Green Sense Concrete mixtures, beginning with the extraction of raw materials through the production of concrete. The analysis is based on six environmental impact categories, including energy consumption, emissions (air, soil, and water), toxicity potential, risk potential, raw material consumption, and land use.
“There are a number of factors that contribute to the economic and ecological impact of concrete, including its ingredients, how far those ingredients traveled to the plant, mix proportions, and volume of concrete produced,” said Mark Bury, Marketing Manager, EEA and Green Sense Concrete. “With Eco-Efficiency Analysis, everything from the regional fossil fuels used in the production of raw materials to the amount of land used can be factored into the equation, enabling our customers to determine the concrete mixture that has the least impact on the environment. Much more than just a way to determine the carbon footprint of concrete, EEA is a comprehensive, economic and ecological life cycle evaluation, and it is the first of its kind in the industry today.”
Developed and used by BASF Corporation in its own product development process since 1996, EEA methodology is conducted in accordance with the environmental protocol found in the ISO 14040 and 14044 standards from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It has also been third-party validated by NSF International, a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization that develops national standards and provides third-party conformity assessment services, and TÜV Rheinland, who appraises, tests, and certifies technical equipment and products according to international quality standards and then registers those in compliance.
“BASF has utilized Eco-Efficiency Analysis successfully for more than 13 years to develop environmentally preferable, cost-effective products and processes for many industries,” Bury said. “We’re excited that we can now use this program to develop a comprehensive environmental report to assist our concrete producer customers in evaluating the environmental impact of Green Sense Concrete mixes.”
For more information on EEA for concrete, visit BASF on the Web at www.basf-admixtures.com/EEA. For editorial information or a high-resolution photo, contact Nora Glauberman at 216-839-7800 or by email at nora.glauberman@basf.com.