​​

In Part 1 of Committed to Sustainable Concrete Construction… we discussed the importance of lowering the consumption of water through the use of our water reducing concrete admixtures. We also described how the carbon footprint of concrete can be minimized by decreasing cement content, and we highlighted the performance of our Green Sense® Concrete process which can achieve over 70% cement replacement and a reduction of over 70% in embodied CO₂ compared to conventional concrete recipes commonly employed in the industry.​
Now, in Part 2, we will explore how concrete admixtures contribute to the durability and longevity of structures and play an important role in the circular economy by enabling the recycling of fresh concrete. We will also introduce digital solutions from Master Builders Solutions, designed to simplify the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) process, and streamline concrete producer's business operations using a virtual concrete assistant.
The Master Builders Solutions admixture portfolio offers a wide range of products that facilitate sustainable concrete construction. Our innovative solutions include concrete admixtures and fibers specifically designed to enhance durability and extend the service life of concrete structures.  For instance, MasterFiber® helps reduce crack width and extend joint spacing in slab-on-ground applications. In addition, we offer MasterLife® ASR 30, a lithium-based liquid admixture formulated for use in high-alkali concrete with reactive aggregates to inhibit and control Alkali Silica Reactivity. Our portfolio also includes corrosion-inhibiting admixtures to mitigate deterioration caused by aggressive salt/chloride exposure, shrinkage-reducing admixtures to minimize drying shrinkage, air-entraining admixtures to enhance freeze/thaw durability, and waterproofing admixtures that reduce permeability. These solutions play a pivotal role in achieving sustainability goals such as reducing embodied carbon, minimizing the use of natural resources, and improving the overall durability and longevity of concrete structures.
Further, MasterSet® DELVO is a concrete hydration control admixture that enables returned unused concrete, in a fresh state, to be used as an ingredient for a new concrete batch. The recycled fresh concrete can be treated as a raw-material component, just like water, aggregates, and cement. This cost-saving and waste-reducing process is recognized in the industry and standardized in ASTM C 1798/C 1798M-19. 
The concrete industry quantifies sustainability using Environmental Product Declarations, also known as EPDs. Master Builders Solutions has partnered with the concrete industry's top names in EPD service software, providing a cost-effective and efficient digital solution. We help ready-mix, precast, and block/paver producers navigate through the EPD process from data collection to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) creation, to third-party verification, and report generation. The resulting EPD is a comprehensive report providing information regarding the environmental impacts of a concrete product. The report includes notable results such as: global warming potential (CO2), smog creation, ozone depletion, and water pollution. Armed with the knowledge of a concrete mixture's GWP value, a concrete producer can optimize their concrete mixtures, lowering the carbon footprint of the mixture, and minimizing the impact on the environment while reducing production costs. Another digital tool is the MasterAtlas™ virtual concrete assistant, a Master Builders Solutions app that enables concrete producers to coordinate with project team members and continually monitor comprehensive performance data of fresh concrete in real time, allowing for waste reduction, efficient resource utilization, and improved quality.

​