Precast Solutions - September/October 2008 - (Page 22) This image from an electron microscope shows the precast material before the carbonation process. The carbonation process turns elements in the precast mixture to limestone, thereby eliminating 27 days of cure time and resulting in a product that is stronger and less permeable. production. Because this process promises both environmental and product quality benefits, the pilot programs are being closely watched by the precast industry and government officials in Canada. Canadian industry partners and the Canadian provincial government have an incentive to collaborate: The Canadian province of Nova Scotia passed the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act in 2007, requiring 1990-level greenhouse gases to be reduced 10 percent by 2020. In his endorsement of the process, Bill Dooley, vice president of the Cement Association of Canada said, "To the best of my knowledge, the process promises to offer the precast concrete industry a new and valuable greenhouse gas mitigation tool with added material property and production improvements. We encourage Carbon Sense Solutions to conduct a thorough pilot study of the CO2 Accelerated Concrete Curing process to validate the process' economic, GHG reduction, material property and production benefits.” The pilot program has the support of Brian Hall, national marketing director for the Canadian Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute: "It is imperative that innovative greenhouse gas mitigation tools are implemented as early as possible to lessen the effects of global warming.” The CCS pilot programs hope to demonstrate the feasibility of the process on a large scale and solve remaining technical challenges before commercial distribution. According to Niven, a strong commercialization effort is needed to demonstrate: • Greenhouse gas mitigation potential • Economic feasibility • Technical feasibility GLOBAL CARBON EFFORT TO CAPTURE Niven is among many academic and industry experts researching and demonstrating approaches to reduce the global carbon burden. He presented findings in March at the Atlantic Climate Change Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Niven plans on presenting more information in October at the Accelerated Chemicals for Environmental and Materials Engineering conference in Rome and/or 22 PRECAST SOLUTIONS | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008
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