Concrete Industry Promotes Sustainable Schools Across the Country

Green Schools Conference & Expo focuses on the future of net-zero construction 

Portland, OR—Build with Strength sponsored and participated in the 2020 Green Schools Conference & Expo in Portland this week. The conference, held annually, serves as a space for teachers, parents, building professionals, and environmentally focused individuals to gather and work towards green schools across the country.   

Keynote speakers at the event included Danni Washington, founder of Big Blue & You, and Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of U.S. Green Building Council and Green Business Certification Inc.

“The Green Schools Conference is an incredibly important event that allows us to explore the future of sustainability in education with people who know it best and are experts in their fields. The industry’s commitment to building green is just one of the ways that we are lowering our carbon footprint,” said Build with Strength spokesperson Gregg Lewis, who presented at the conference. “It’s exciting that innovation in the concrete industry has made it a go to material for building net-zero schools. In addition to actively contributing to the development of these schools, we are in turn instilling the importance of being environmentally conscious in students at a young age. This is vitally important for future generations.” 

The Green Schools Conference & Expo comes after a recent announcement that the concrete industry has lowered its carbon emissions by 13% over the last 5 years according to the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association. The reductions were attributed mainly to more efficient use of Portland cement, the primary binder used to make concrete. The industry has set to reduce concrete carbon emissions by 30% in 2030.

The Green Schools Conference & Expo is presented by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), in partnership with the Green Schools National Network (GSNN). Discussion and education opportunities at the event covered topics such as equity and justice in green construction, learning environments for a changing climate, budgeting for net-zero schools, clean energy in school districts and empowering youth through green schools.

“USGBC is grateful for the support of our Green Schools Conference & Expo premier sponsor – the Build with Strength coalition,” said Kim Heavner, VP, Conferences & Events, USGBC. “Collaboration and innovation are necessary ingredients to transform schools into healthier, more sustainable places to learn, work and play, and together we are making visible, measurable and lasting progress toward the three pillars of green schools: environmental impact, health impact and environmental and sustainability literacy.”

Build with Strength, a coalition of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, is committed to advancing sustainability in the industry by fostering a spirit of collaboration, innovation and transparency amongst members and other industry leaders. By sharing technologies and industry insights across companies and producers, the coalition is advancing the building industry’s sustainability goals in an effort to reduce carbon emissions.

About NRMCA 

NRMCA, a non-profit organization based in Alexandria, VA, represents the producers of ready mixed concrete and the companies that provide materials, equipment and support to the industry. It conducts education, training, promotion, research, engineering, safety, environmental, technological, lobbying and regulatory programs. For more information on NRMCA’s Sustainability Initiatives, visit www.nrmca.org/sustainability.

About Build with Strength

Build with Strength is a coalition of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association and works with communities, lawmakers, and industry employees to advocate for safer, sustainable building materials.