Clark Pacific, a leading provider of prefabricated systems that are transforming building design and construction, announced CARBONSHIELD, a proprietary concrete mix with 50 percent less embodied carbon. When combined with the benefits of offsite construction and efficient design, CARBONSHIELD has a significant impact on construction’s carbon footprint.
While many sustainability efforts to date have focused on lowering operational carbon, the building industry is expected to add 230 billion square meters of new construction globally between now and 2060. In doing so, embodied carbon will account for half of the overall carbon footprint of new construction, equal to that of operational carbon. Lowering embodied carbon and working toward a sustainable future requires innovation in materials and construction.
CARBONSHIELD creates an opportunity for owners and architects to significantly reduce embodied carbon and meet sustainability goals. By leveraging factory-controlled accelerated curing techniques, CARBONSHIELD offers the same performance as traditional mixes, with significantly less carbon-laden cement. While “green concrete” options are often limited to elements that can tolerate slow strength gain, such as foundation or shear walls, CARBONSHIELD reduces carbon from all of a building’s structural elements.
“As a leader in sustainable building systems, we never stop exploring new ways to reduce the carbon footprint of both our business and the structures we manufacture,” said Geene Alhady, president of Clark Pacific. “CARBONSHIELD represents the next generation in concrete and prefabrication that is smarter, more efficient and sustainable, and is a key aspect of our company’s strategy to reach zero embodied carbon. We’re excited to bring our customers a way to take advantage of prefabrication and meet sustainability goals without sacrificing strength and quality.”
CARBONSHIELD is one of many sustainability efforts led by Clark Pacific. The company’s two plants are nearly zero-waste and designed for zero discharge of stormwater, incorporating sustainable practices such as water recycling for reuse in manufacturing, recharge of groundwater, solid waste recycling, energy conservation and sustainable business practices. In April, Clark Pacific announced plans to transition its consumption to nearly 100% renewable energy by installing solar arrays across all of its facilities, beginning with its Woodland facility which will go live this summer. Clark Pacific’s use of solar energy will offset the impact of 14,976 passenger vehicles, or the energy consumption of 8,293 single-family homes, per year and is equivalent to planting 1,138,654 tree seedlings over 10 years.
For more information on CARBONSHIELD, visit www.clarkpacific.com.
