Clean construction projects are getting spotlighted. In a strategic move to combat climate change and promote sustainable infrastructure, the Biden-Harris Administration recently announced a $2 billion investment in clean energy construction projects across the U.S. This initiative, reportedly crucial to the administration’s goal of reducing emissions by 40% by 2030, aims to alter the construction industry with a focus on low-embodied carbon materials, including a notable $380 million for low-carbon asphalt.
What is “low embodied carbon asphalt?” in clean construction?
“Low embodied carbon asphalt” refers to asphalt with a reduced carbon footprint during its full lifecycle, from production to disposal. Traditional asphalt production can be energy-intensive and emit significant volumes of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. In contrast, low embodied carbon asphalt is produced using methods and materials that minimize these emissions.
This can include using recycled materials, employing energy-efficient manufacturing processes, and integrating sustainable technologies. The goal is to create asphalt that meets construction needs and requirements while having a lower impact on the environment, contributing to efforts combating climate change.
In relation to the government’s investment in clean construction, this may involve several key aspects:
- Low-Emission Manufacturing Processes: The production of low embodied carbon asphalt typically involves methods that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This can include the use of energy-efficient equipment, alternative fuel sources, and advanced technologies that lower the carbon intensity of the manufacturing process.
- Recycled Materials: Utilizing recycled materials, such as reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), significantly reduces the carbon footprint. The process involves reusing old asphalt, thereby conserving raw materials and reducing the energy required for new asphalt production.
- Warm Mix Asphalt Technologies: Warm mix asphalt (WMA) is produced at lower temperatures compared to traditional hot mix asphalt. This reduction in temperature lowers fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions during production. WMA also offers improved workability and can extend the paving season.
- Bio-Based Additives: The use of bio-based additives or binders in asphalt mixtures is another way to reduce embodied carbon. These sustainable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based binders can decrease the overall environmental impact.
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Conducting LCAs for asphalt products is crucial in quantifying and reducing their embodied carbon. LCA considers all stages of asphalt’s life, from raw material extraction to disposal, helping companies identify areas for improvement.
- Carbon Sequestration Techniques: Some innovative approaches in asphalt production involve carbon sequestration, where CO2 is captured during a hydrogen production process and permanently stored in pavement.
- Green Public Procurement Policies: The federal investment is likely to encourage green public procurement policies, favoring low embodied carbon asphalt in government projects. This shift represents a significant market opportunity for companies that invest in sustainable asphalt solutions.
Direct Clean Construction Impact Across 39 States
The $2 billion federal investment will fund over 150 federal building projects across 39 states, prioritizing materials that minimize carbon emissions. John Podesta, senior adviser to President Joe Bident, said this widespread initiative is expected to have a significant impact on the industry’s approach to sustainable construction.
Podesta told Reuters, “The U.S. government has a huge share of the market -particularly of concrete and asphalt- and that I think helps drive the industry towards meeting an ever increasing level of innovation when it comes to decarbonizing.” He emphasized the government’s role in driving industry innovation, particularly in concrete and asphalt, through its significant market share.
Specifically, the U.S. General Services Administration announced 153 federal government building projects that will prioritize the procurement of low embodied carbon (LEC) materials. 81 of those projects are slated to share the $384 million dedicated to LEC asphalt.
Asphalt-only projects listed include:
Arizona
- Tucson: Evo A. DeConcini Courthouse pavement
California
- Calexico: East Land Port of Entry Import / Commercial Building retention pond asphalt
- Calexico: West Land Port of Entry Historic Custom House pavement
Colorado
- Lakewood: Denver Federal Center FDA Lab
Georgia
- Atlanta: Pine Street parking deck structural repairs
- Brunswick: Frank M. Scarlett Federal Building parking lot repaving
- Chamblee: Chamblee Federal Campus IRS Annex parking lot repaving
Maine
- Coburn Gore: Coburn Gore Land Port of Entry modernization
- Portland: Portland Parking Facility pavement repair
Maryland
- Woodlawn: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Headquarters parking lot repaving
Massachusetts
- Boston: OMS garage pavement repair
New York
- Central Islip: Alfonse M. D’Amato Courthouse parking lot surface replacement
Vermont
- Montpelier: Montpelier Federal Building paving and barrier upgrades
West Virginia
- Martinsburg: Federal Building parking lot replacement
Support and Praise from Key Stakeholders for Clean Construction Plan
Certain industry leaders and environmental advocates have lauded this initiative. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse praised the administration for using the federal government’s purchasing power to boost domestic clean manufacturing, stating in a White House press release, “That means more jobs & innovation, and less of the carbon pollution that is responsible for climate change.”
Organizations such as the BlueGreen Alliance, the Rocky Mountain Institute, and the Portland Cement Association, and Third Way expressed their approval, noting the government’s unique position to stimulate demand for cleaner products and the industry’s commitment to sustainable solutions.
In a joint statement, the groups said:
“This important initiative to Buy Clean is designed to work in concert with the robust industrial investments in the Inflation Reduction Act, including roughly $5 billion to pilot the procurement of lower carbon concrete, steel, and other construction materials and a suite of programs and tax incentives to drive emissions reductions in these emissions-intensive heavy industrial sectors. These unprecedented investments complement the Task Force’s recommendations, and will help ensure a stronger, cleaner, and more resilient U.S. manufacturing base.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also highlighted the role of this funding in creating a market for low- and zero-carbon materials.
“This funding helps create a market for low- and zero-carbon materials, further incentivizing industrial manufacturers to take advantage of other IRA programs aimed at helping them reduce their emissions,” Senator Schumer said in a statement.
Modern Asphalt’s Role in This Green, Clean Construction Wave
Modern Asphalt offers substantially lower levels of embodied carbon, which aligns with the government’s “call for offer or commitments to furnish IRA-eligible materials with the lowest available global warming potential values for each applicable material type,” as described in LEC acquisition criteria resources.
For companies like Modern, this represents an exciting time to be at the forefront of green construction. The push for low-carbon infrastructure is accelerating, and Modern Asphalt is poised to meet these new challenges and opportunities.
As we embark on this journey towards a greener future in pavement, the government’s commitment to clean construction practices not only advances environmental sustainability but also opens new avenues for technological innovation in the sector.
For asphalt contractors and environmentalists alike, it’s a call to action to be at the forefront of this green construction wave.