October 9, 2008

RMCAO

Under the voluntary certification program, concrete facility operators can assess their compliance with environmental requirements.

Ready Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario

RMCAO launches first North American ‘Eco Certified Concrete Facility’ program

DAN O’REILLY

correspondent

TORONTO,

The Ready Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario has launched North America’s first Eco Certified Concrete Facility program.

“We’re moving to green buildings and we want concrete to be seen as a solution to the issues of sustainability and the environment and not as a problem,” said RMCAO president John Hull, in explaining the rationale behind the program.

About 18 months of work was invested in its creation by the association’s sustainable development and environment committee, which is comprised of owner members and environmental engineers.

It was developed in consultation with the Ontario Ministry of Environment.

A major catalyst for the program is the ongoing effort of the American Concrete Institute’s strategic development council to raise industry awareness of sustainable development issues, said Hull.

Under the voluntary certification program, concrete facility operators can assess their compliance with environmental requirements such as recycling, water use, waste chemical management, energy conservation and materials reduction.

Similar to LEED, the program has five categories with seven sections and a concrete facility will have to obtain a minimum number of points in each section and comply with the described regulatory items identified.

The categories are sustainable sites, water efficiency, materials and resources, energy and atmosphere, and innovation and design.

Many of the association’s approximately 300-member facility operators already utilize the environmental procedures and techniques laid out in the program. Nevertheless, an independent third-party consulting engineering firm will have to audit a facility before certification is approved.

“We have to be very clear and very documented. We can’t just send out a blanket document. It’s either yes or no, not maybe,” said Hull, while explaining the reasoning behind the audit.

The program offers a number of benefits to operators such as responsible materials procurement, assisting owners with LEED project requirements, reducing liability and risk, as well as promoting innovation and generating community goodwill, he said.

“The public is becoming more concerned about the environment,” he added.

While LEED doesn’t cover materials, Hull said he foresees a time when owners, architects and contractors pursuing LEED certification will demand Eco Certified concrete.

“It will come through specifications,” he said.

Since the program was unveiled recently, the association has received a lot of positive feedback from its own members and the design industry.

“Architects and owners are very interested in this (program),” he said.

“We’re also hoping to work with homebuilders.”

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