Carbon Uptake: Establishing the Baseline

Presented By: James Farny, Portland Cement Association
Carbon uptake occurs throughout a concrete product’s lifetime. The location and design of a concrete structure affects both its potential for carbonation (or recarbonation) and the rate of that reaction. To quantify carbonation, a consistent baseline is necessary. This session will describe the Tier 1 model for CO2 uptake - Simplified methodology of IVL Report B 2309, CO2 uptake in cement-containing products, to introduce attendees to key assumptions regarding cement and concrete carbonation assessment. While a Tier 1 approach is primarily used as a first estimate or when data for more accurate calculations are not available, it provides a conservative estimation of CO2 uptake in existing concrete structures on a national basis. General comments will be offered regarding current data gaps and recommendations for research or data that would support improved quantification of carbonation.