NRMCA Introduces New Online Sustainability Course
Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Focus on Life Cycle Assessment of Concrete Structures   Silver Spring, MD – June 23, 2010 – The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) has added to its growing series of comprehensive online education and training courses with the introduction of Life Cycle Assessment of Concrete Structures. Building owners, contractors, architects, engineers, specifiers and consumers are demanding more efficient and environmentally friendly projects and products. As a result, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is increasingly being used to evaluate structures and building products for environmental performance. This new NRMCA course provides detailed instruction on how LCA can be used to assess the environmental performance of concrete structures, including buildings and pavements. The course will also cover how the concrete industry is beginning to use LCA to evaluate and improve the concrete production process.   Course topics include: What makes a building, pavement and manufacturing process sustainable; Introduction to LCA standards and the TRACI impacts; Critical review of current LCA computer models; Existing LCA studies comparing concrete and other building materials such as steel, asphalt and wood; LCA and manufacturing process with an introduction to the NRMCA carbon and energy calculator; and Results from The Edge of Concrete: A Life-Cycle Investigation of Concrete and Concrete Structures from the Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSH) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.   This course is offered on four consecutive Wednesdays beginning September 8 from noon-1:30 p.m. Eastern time. Click here for more information.   Life Cycle Assessment of Concrete Structures is the most recent of NRMCA’s online offerings. Earlier this year, the Association launched the online versions of three of its most popular courses for architects and engineers. Pervious Concrete – A Stormwater Solution, which provided detailed instruction on how to implement pervious concrete pavements as a solution to reducing stormwater runoff from building sites and other paved areas, took place in March to strong attendance and positive reviews by participants. In April came Design of Concrete Pavements, providing attendees with state-of-the-art techniques and methodologies for designing, specifying and building concrete streets and parking lots. And in May, Building Green with Concrete enabled attendees to understand the basics of low impact development, specify high performance concrete building systems, implement pervious concrete pavement systems and develop project specifications to optimize recycled content and maximize durability. Last year, the association introduced the 8-week online LEED GA Exam Study Course which has provided several concrete industry representatives the training needed to pass the coveted LEED Green Associate exam.   NRMCA, based in Silver Spring, MD, represents the producers of ready mixed concrete and the companies that provide materials, equipment and support to the industry. It conducts education, training, promotion, research, engineering, safety, environmental, technological, lobbying and regulatory programs.   xxx
Contact Info:	Erin Ashley Email: eashley@nrmca.org Phone: 301-587-1400