Mitigating the Carbon Footprint of Concrete - 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW) / 1.0 GBCI SITES-Specific CE

The carbon footprint from the billions of tons of concrete placed each year is substantial, resulting in nearly 8% of total global emissions. This session will provide attendees with tools to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete through use of high-volume cement substitutes, concrete mix optimization, and carbon sequestering technologies.

The GBCI course ID for this course is 920025327, providing SITES-specific CE hours required to maintain SITES AP credentials. Participants will need to pass the exam at the end of the presentation in order to receive a certificate of completion. Participants will need to self-report CE hours through their credentials account on https://sitesonline.usgbc.org.

Learning objectives:

Understand the carbon impacts of concrete and Portland Cement, and methods to mitigate the impacts.
Identify Portland Cement substitutes, both natural pozzolans and industrial byproducts, and the effects they have on concrete structures during placement and use.
Understand technologies for carbon sequestration in cement, manufactured aggregates, and concrete.
Recall the benefits, costs and challenges of technologies and materials to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete structures.

Meg Calkins, FASLA, SITES AP

Professor of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

North Carolina State University

Meg Calkins, FASLA, SITES AP, is a Professor of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at North Carolina State University. Meg’s scholarship focuses on the environmental and human health impacts of site construction details and materials. She is the author of the book "Materials for Sustainable Sites" and editor of the "Sustainable Sites Handbook". She is currently writing a book with the working title of "Details and Material for Resilient Sites: A Carbon Positive Approach" (Routledge 2025). Meg has taken an active leadership role in development and implementation of the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) since 2003.

Kevin W. Burke, FASLA

Director of Design

Atlanta BeltLine Inc

Mr. Burke is the Director of Design for Atlanta BeltLine Inc. and has thirty-nine years of experience on a plethora of institutional, roadway, college/university, residential, multi-use trail, and park projects. He coordinates design for all public open spaces and serves as chair of the ABI Design Review Committee. He established that all ABI projects since 2018 will be SITES certified and organized of ABI’s Organic Land Care Symposium which informed of more sustainable ways of maintaining our public spaces. Kevin has a BLA from Utah State University and in 2019 became a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Jennifer Mitchell

Senior Manager, Design Build

Jenny joins us from the LinkedIn headquarters campus in Mountain View, California. She has more than twenty years experience in the construction industry leading projects throughout the Bay Area in the roles of concrete manufacturer, general contractor, and owner. With a passion for sustainability, she is leading the concrete carbon reduction mission for LinkedIn’s new Headquarters Campus. Jenny earned a Master of Arts degree in Environmental Studies with a Concentration in Sustainable Development and Policy from the University of Illinois, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies accompanied by a Minor in Business Administration from San Jose State University.