Making Concrete Greener with Whitemud^MK

Three ways that Whitemud^MK improves the environmental footprint of concrete:

• Lowers CO₂ content by approximately 13%The process to manufacture metakaolin uses less energy and produces 55% less CO₂ than from the production of cement.  That translates into an approximate reduction of 13% when Whitemud^MK is used to displace a portion of the portland cement and concrete mixes are optimized for performance.
• Enables the use of fly ash and slagAlthough fly ash and slag are important supplementary cementing materials as they are byproducts of the power generation and iron production industries, they can be challenging to use in certain concrete applications.  Fly ash and concrete can retard the set-time and early strength development of concrete.
• Improves the sustainability of concreteConcrete with Whitemud^MK is more durable and will last longer because it is less permeable and very resistant to alkali silica reactions and sulfate attack

Whitemud^MK and LEED®

The LEED® system calculates recycled materials contribution based on the amount of portland cement that is replaced.  WhitemudMK can help use less cement in concrete without compromising performance.

What is LEED®?
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) is an internationally accepted benchmark for the certification of high-performance, sustainable buildings.

LEED® utilizes a system where points are awarded for achieving specific levels of sustainable performance in six categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design.  Points add up to a final score that relates to one of four possible levels of certification: LEED® Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum.

Achieving LEED® points with Concrete
Concrete is a superior material for building sustainable structures. Among its other attributes, it is durable, uses abundant, local materials in its manufacture, has high reflectivity for reduced urban heat island effect, and utilizes thermal mass to contribute to energy efficiency.