Sustainable development and climate change initiatives

In the present paper we argue that the cement and concrete industry is contributing positively to the Climate Change Initiative by: Continuously reducing the CO2 emission from cement production by increased use of bio-fuels and alternative raw materials as well as introducing modified low-energy clinker types and cements with reduced clinker content. Developing concrete compositions with the lowest possible environmental impact by selecting the cement type, the type and dosage of supplementary cementitious materials and the concrete quality to best suit the use in question. Exploiting the potential of concrete recycling to increase the rate of CO2 uptake. Exploiting the thermal mass of concrete to create energy-optimized solutions for heating and cooling residential and office buildings. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.