The mineral products industry (click here) covers a broad span of industrial activities which range from energy-intensive processes like manufacture of cement and lime to the production of aggregates and ready-mixed concrete involving relatively low emissions per unit of production. There is universal acceptance right across the industry of the need to control and reduce its carbon footprint. Progress to date in the cement sector has been particularly encouraging with a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide per tonne of cement manufactured of 21% between 1998 and 2012. Other areas of the industry each have their own initiatives.
While manufacturing and delivering our products inevitably generates carbon, the products themselves often have important roles to play in actually tackling climate change. Concrete structures, for example, have unique thermal mass characteristics that help to moderate temperature changes in buildings and reduce the need for air conditioning. Mineral products will be an integral part of the low-carbon energy generation capacity that will be developed over the next decade and are equally in the front line in the battle to resist floods and to hold back rising sea levels....
This industry in the UK seems to be coming together to sincerely work on the climate crisis and it's responsibility within it.
First, the industry in the UK has completely accepted the fact there is a climate crisis. That is the first step in moving toward mitigation.
This industry makes an interesting statement that is counter intuitive. It revolves around the concept of a 'heat island.' A heat island encompasses several problems regarding the climate and environmental issues in cities.
Cities can use concrete in ways that are benevolent in reducing the urban heat island effect.
Solar Reflectivity (R) and Solar Reflective Index (SRI) by color can be adopted to increase "albedo."
Solar reflectivity or reflectance is the ability of a material to reflect solar energy from its surface back into the atmosphere. The SR value is a number from 0 to 1.0. A value of 0 indicates that the material absorbs all solar energy and a value of 1.0 indicates total reflectance. Energy Star requires an initial SR value of 0.25 or higher for steep slope (>2:12) roofs and 0.15 or greater after three years. Low slope roofs require an initial SR value of 0.65 or higher and 0.50 or greater after three year.
The Solar Reflectance Index is used for
compliance with LEED requirements and is calculated according to ASTM E 1980 using values for reflectance and emissivity. Emissivity is a material’s ability to release absorbed energy. To meet LEED requirements a roofing material must have a SRI of 29 or higher for steep slope (>2:12) roofing and a SRI value of 78 or higher for low slope roofing.
