Sessions & Events

The ACI Foundation's Concrete Innovation Session

Sunday, March 30, 2025  1:00 PM - 3:00 PM, Dominion South

The ACI Foundation's Concrete Innovation Council (CIC) collaborates with the concrete community to further innovative solutions for industry-wide challenges, by effectively identifying new technology and helping to nurture and support emerging and mature technologies. The council is comprised of a diverse group of industry representatives - material suppliers, architectural & engineering firms, contractors, academics, owners and regulatory agencies. If you are interested in learning about innovations, meeting technology owners and networking with industry leaders please attend this session or one of our annual Concrete Innovation Forums.

CIC Objective: To identify technologies and innovations that are aligned with ACI and industry strategies and help implement their use when appropriate.

Theme: Implementing Low Carbon Concrete – From Innovation to Reality

Learning Objectives:
(1) Report on the ACI Foundation’s Concrete Innovation Council;
(2) Assess current boundaries of sustainability and low embodied carbon in concrete use;
(3) Discuss how the construction industry can move forward with innovation in a responsible and efficient manner;
(4) Develop knowledge on necessary long-term testing and changes to codes/standards;
(5) Investigate regional variance in adoption, and hurdles to adoption for innovations in the concrete industry.

This session has been approved by AIA and ICC for 2 PDHs (0.2 CEUs). Please note: You must attend the live session for the entire duration to receive credit. On-demand sessions do not qualify for PDH/CEU credit.

Schedule

Presented By: Glenn Schaefer
Affiliation: NRMCA
Description: Welcome and Overview of the Concrete Innovation Council 1:00pm - 1:05pm Glenn Schaefer, CIC Representative This presentation will provide a brief introduction to ACI’s Concrete Innovation Council, and how the CIC supports expanding focus on technology and innovation in concrete industry. Introduction to the Round Table Topic: Opportunities and hurdles to implementation and widespread use of new materials and/or processes related to reduction of embodied carbon in concrete. 1:05pm - 1:10pm Emily Kunkel, Thornton Tomasetti Opening Statements from Each Perspective 1:10pm - 1:20pm Round Table Discussion 1:20pm - 2:40pm (1) Emily Kunkel, Associate Principal of Thornton Tomasetti and Discussion Leader (2) Joel Ahearne-Ray, Senior Materials Specialist of Turner Construction with a “General Contractor Perspective” (3) Tiffany Reed-Vallarreal, Director of Sustainability Codes & Standards of NRMCA with a “Ready-Mix Perspective” (4) Larry Rowland, Sustainability Market Manager of Heidelberg with a “Material Supplier Perspective” (5) Robert Nussmeier, VP of Strategic Clients of Baker Construction with a “Shell Contractor Perspective” Post-Roundtable Q&A with Audience Members 2:40pm - 3:00pm

Round Table Discussion

Presented By: Emily Kunkel
Affiliation: Thornton Tomasetti
Description: The Concrete Innovation Council and Thornton Tomasetti are bringing together strong voices in pushing the boundaries of sustainability and low embodied carbon in concrete use, especially as it comes to new products on the market. We see the need to bring together voices from a variety of directions in the project supply chain. This panel discussion includes representatives from construction, concrete/shell contractor, ready mix industry groups and material suppliers. Understanding and discussing each entity’s approach, concerns, and the progress already made in various aspects of reducing embodied carbon in concrete will help all stakeholders in the concrete value chain identify the next meaningful steps that must be taken. This roundtable dedicated to collaboration between our different industry professionals will bring forward various perspectives on how to best make sure we can move forward with innovation in the built environment, but in a responsible and efficient manner. What type of long-term testing is needed? What should the codes/standards include? How is this going to change region to region? Speakers: (1) Emily Kunkel, Associate Principal of Thornton Tomasetti and Discussion Leader (2) Joel Ahearne-Ray, Senior Materials Specialist of Turner Construction with a “General Contractor Perspective” (3) Tiffany Reed-Vallarreal, Director of Sustainability Codes & Standards of NRMCA with a “Ready-Mix Perspective” (4) Larry Rowland, Sustainability Market Manager of Heidelberg with a “Material Supplier Perspective” (5) Robert Nussmeier, VP of Strategic Clients of Baker Construction with a “Shell Contractor Perspective”