GREEN CONCRETE: AN ALTERNATIVE FOR REDUCING CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) EMISSIONS IN CIVIL CONSTRUCTION AND A SCOPE FOR OBTAINING LEED CERTIFICATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/ERR01v10n6-058Keywords:
Green Concrete, Carbon Dioxide, Portland Cement, Supplemental Cementitious Materials (SCM), LEED CertificationAbstract
This study investigates green concrete as a strategic solution for the decarbonization of civil construction, focusing on the high emissions associated with cement production. It aims to analyze the reduction in carbon footprint obtained by partially replacing cement with Supplemental Cementitious Materials (SCMs) — such as blast furnace slag, fly ash, and calcined clays — and to establish the direct correlation of this mitigation with obtaining LEED certification. The research uses a methodology of bibliographic review and analysis of technical data on emissions, mechanical performance, and certification criteria. The results demonstrate that SCMs have drastically lower intrinsic emissions than cement (reductions greater than 90%) and frequently optimize mechanical performance and durability. The work concludes that the specification of green concrete, validated by tools such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), constitutes a technically robust alternative and a pragmatic strategy to meet the credits in the Materials and Resources (MR) category of LEED.
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