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MIT conductive concrete consortium cements five-year research agreement with Japanese industry

The MIT Electron-conductive Cement-based Materials Hub (EC^3 Hub), an outgrowth of the MIT CSHub, was established by a research agreement with Aizawa Concrete of Japan. The EC^3 Hub, read as “EC-cube,” will investigate the infrastructure applications of multifunctional concrete — concrete having capacities beyond serving as a structural element, such as functioning as a “battery” for renewable energy.

Read the article in MIT News.

Brief: How can the cement industry enable widespread industrial CCUS adoption?

How can the cement industry enable widespread adoption of carbon capture, utilization, and storage? In this research brief, Elizabeth Moore and team investigate a model carbon transport network to serve the cement industry. Pipeline design scenarios were analyzed to investigate the location of “carbon hubs” of nearby industrial facilities that could tap into pipelines at low cost. This would allow for the cement industry to enable carbon capture across a much larger swath of the economy.

Read the brief.

Whitepaper: Reducing Carbon Emissions in the Built Environment: A Case Study in 3D Printed Homes

Whitepaper: “Reducing Carbon Emissions in the Built Environment: A Case Study in 3D Printed Homes”

In this whitepaper, Hessam AzariJafari and Randolph Kirchain join Francesca Lolli, Sean Monkman, and Bungane Mehlomakulu of ICON to present a comparative analysis of the life cycle performance of 3D-printed and stick frame homes in various U.S. climate conditions.

Read the whitepaper.

Hessam AzariJafari to be a panelist at the Transatlantic Institute for Sustainable Trade’s roundtable in Washington, D.C.

Hessam AzariJafari will be a featured panelist at the Transatlantic Institute for Sustainable Trade’s roundtable on 1/31, “Creating a Market for Green Cement and Concrete on Both Sides of the Atlantic,” in Washington, D.C. The roundtable will discuss how regulatory frameworks can support the market uptake of cleaner cement and concrete technologies and accelerate decarbonization efforts.

This event is organized by the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Dialogue.

The Hill: We’re overhauling our cars in the name of energy efficiency — why not our roads?

In their new op-ed in The Hill, Randolph Kirchain and Hessam AzariJafari explain why road improvements enhancing pavement stiffness and smoothness are essential to improve the efficiency and environmental performance of all vehicles. The majority of vehicles on the road are projected to be powered by traditional engines up through 2050, making it essential for states and municipalities to use this lever to cut emissions. The authors propose that the Federal Highway Administration should expand their current carbon performance measure to include emissions associated with road performance.

Click to read.