Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/178290
solutions. This is happening across many industries. CPCI is the main technical resource for the precast sector in Canada, so we're providing tools – they include a web-based software tracking program – to help with improvements at members' plants that are measurable in terms of better economic and environmental performance." Reducing carbon footprint has also been the focus of some studies supported by the Cement Association of Canada (CAC). In Canada, cement manufacturing is dominated by coal and petroleum coke consumption, which accounts for more than 80 per cent of the sector's purchased energy. One Natural Resources Canada study on alternate and renewable energy sources found that, "increasing the proportion of alternative, renewable and low-carbon energy sources can contribute signi icantly to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cement manufacturing." More recently, the CAC commissioned the Network for Business Responsibility (NBS), a non-pro it research group at the Richard Ivey School of Business, to conduct a study reviewing the last 10 of academic and industry research on the use of alternative energy sources. Cement plants in Germany, France and Belgium get a third of their fuel from sewage sludge, waste wood, used tires and household and industrial refuse. "From the reviewed documents, we found it could be better to burn municipal solid waste rather than burning coal to manufacture cement," said one of the study's authors when the research group at the Ivey school released its indings last September. Although the evidence supports the use of alternative and renewable fuel sources, and although Canada has an abundance of these sources, there remains a number of barriers to greater fuel substitution. "As a result, energy substitution rates in Canadian cement manufacturing lag behind our counterparts in many jurisdictions around the world," said Lyse 16/ Teasedale, CAC director of communications, via email. Her email pointed to a recent CAC sustainability report which notes that alternative fuel use in Canadian cement plants accounted for 11.3 per cent of the total fuel consumption mix in 2008. "In comparison, the average substitution rate across the industry in Europe was 19.4 per cent, with the rate in several countries averaging over 30 per cent," the email said. Although the Canadian industry has a way to go before it catches up with the Europeans in reducing emissions, the increasing use of Portland-limestone cement (PLC) here should make a difference. PLC is now included in the Canadian Below: Refurbishment project for Hamilton City Hall. Precast concrete was used to match the original white marble. Photo courtesy Hamilton City Hall. Life cycle of building products graphic, courtesy CPCI. APRIL 2012 p.12-19Precast concrete.indd 16 3/26/12 2:15:57 PM