The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of Holcim U.S. Inc. in Missouri to receive $1,371,814 in grants aimed at reducing climate pollution from manufacturing construction materials. According to the EPA, construction materials used in buildings and infrastructure account for over 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions.
These grants are part of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in history, which aims to reduce climate pollution by assisting businesses in measuring carbon emissions associated with their products. The funds will support the Federal Buy Clean Initiative, leveraging the U.S. government’s purchasing power to increase demand for clean construction materials used in federal projects.
Holcim is recognized as the largest cement manufacturer and a top producer of aggregates and ready-mix concrete in the U.S., employing approximately 7,000 people. Holcim's Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) Accelerator Project aims to enhance transparency on environmental emissions from production processes and generate robust EPDs across various manufacturers nationwide.
“As America continues to build more and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure under President Biden’s leadership, cleaner construction materials like concrete and steel are increasingly essential for the nation’s prosperity,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “These historic investments will expand market access for a new generation of more climate-friendly construction materials, and further grow American jobs that are paving the way to the clean energy economy.”
EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister added, “We commend Holcim for their work in advancing sustainable practices to reduce carbon emissions here in the Heartland and across our nation.”
The grants aim to develop high-quality EPDs that provide detailed environmental impact data across a product's life cycle, aiding sustainable purchasing decisions by allowing buyers to compare products based on their environmental footprint.
In addition to funding grants, EPA will offer expanded technical assistance opportunities through programs such as ENERGY STAR Industrial. This support includes helping businesses measure and reduce embodied carbon in their materials and developing a new labeling program identifying low-carbon construction materials.
Funded by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, these initiatives include over $2 billion allocated each to both General Services Administration for federal building projects and Federal Highway Administration for transportation projects using low embodied carbon materials.
Grantees are expected to receive funding upon completion of legal requirements by late summer.
