The Road Forward is a recent industry-wide project from the National Asphalt Pavement Association, (NAPA). The objective of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 is the focus of the asphalt pavement industry’s The Road Forwards program, which has the unwavering support of NAPA personnel, members, and partners.
We can do this!
BY JOSEPH SHACAT, NAPA DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABLE PAVEMENTS
Information excerpted from Nov/Dec Issue of Asphalt Pavement Magazine.
WHEN NAPA LAUNCHED The Road Forward initiative at our annual meeting in January of this year, I was full of nervous anticipation about how it would be received by the asphalt pavement industry.
As we approach the end of 2022, I’m happy to report that industry support for The Road Forward initiative has been nothing short of overwhelming. Looking back, I realize that I shouldn’t be surprised – the asphalt paving industry has an excellent track record when it comes to safety and environmental stewardship.
A similar story can be told about the Silica/Milling Machine Partnership, the rapid adoption of warm-mix asphalt (WMA) technologies, and steady growth in the use of recycled materials, all of which have occurred in the past 15 years.
When NAPA launched version 2 of the Emerald Eco-Label software in April of this year, more plants published EPDs for their mixes in the first five months than had done so in the previous five years.
The next challenge will be defining what qualifies as a low-embodied carbon asphalt mixture. What we’ve learned from the 35 plants that have published EPDs is that regional and local conditions can have a significant (and sometimes overwhelming) effect on the global warming potential (GWP) and other environmental impacts reported in EPDs.
Factors such as agency specifications and local availability of aggregates matter, underscoring the need to establish benchmarks at the local level if we want a fair assessment of what should qualify as a low-embodied carbon asphalt mixture. And the only way to establish these local benchmarks is with more EPDs – as in hundreds of plants, if not thousands, rather than a few dozen.
To read the full article, and find other interesting news from NAPA’s Nov/Dec Issue of Asphalt Pavement Magazine, scan the QR Code.
In the Midwest, Heritage Construction + Materials specializes in building commercial projects, bridges, and roadways. Companies in the HC+M sector collaborate on projects involving transportation infrastructure and materials from beginning to end.
As the company continues to provide for clients and communities, HC+M is driven by its focus on sustainability, business excellence, and talent.
HC+M has proven itself as an industry leader in sustainability efforts through decades of research into pavement preservation technologies.
Future, present, and history are all parts of sustainability. Going into the upcoming decades, The Heritage Group will place a high value on sustainability. Sustainability initiatives have a positive impact on the economy, society, and environment, and HC+M and The Heritage Group are looking forward to taking on this challenge.
To learn more about The Road Forward initiative by NAPA, visit the website here:
https://www.asphaltpavement.org/climate/learn-more
To read more about HC+M and all the amazing work that is happening, click the link here:
https://heritagebuilds.com/
Editors Notes:
https://www.roadsbridges.com/asphalt/news/21546305/napas-the-road-forward-gains-support
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