![]() |
customer@davidpublishing.com |
![]() |
3275638434 |
![]() |
![]() |
| Paper Publishing WeChat |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Koji Sakai1 and Takeju Matsuka2
Full-Text PDF
XML 261 Views
DOI:10.17265/1934-7359/2026.08.001
1. ACI honorary member, Japan Sustainability Institute, Sapporo 065-0021, Japan 2. Associate Professor, National Institute of Technology, Kumamoto College, Yatsushiro 866-8501, Japan
Carbon neutrality is a great challenge for humankind. However, as most industries depend on fossil fuels and use various natural resources, it is not so simple to change the technologies and systems. Concrete, which has a history of more than 200 years, is a typical example of such technology and has played a significant role in the construction of infrastructures and buildings. CO2 emissions resulting from cement production and construction operation have posed a new challenge to the industries. All industries need to conduct an appropriate “transition design” for carbon reduction and neutrality using effective tools. This paper describes the pathways of carbon reduction in concrete-related industries as a methodology, so that the other industries can take appropriate action toward carbon neutrality depending on each BAT (best available technologies) situation.
Best available technologies, carbon neutrality, carbon reduction, concrete-related industries, transition design.
Koji Sakai and Takeju Matsuka. (2026).Pathways of Carbon Reduction in Concrete-Related Industries as a Methodology toward Carbon Neutrality, Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture, August 2026, Vol. 20, No. 8, 311-321
[1] Sakai, K., and Yokota, H. 2016. Sustainability Design of Concrete Structures. Tokyo: Gihodo Shuppan. 200 pp.
[2] Sakai, K., Shibata, T., Kasuga, A., and Nakamura, H. June 2016. “Sustainability Design of Concrete Structures.” Structural Concrete of Fib 17 (6): 1114-24. doi:10.1002/suco.201600069.
[3] Sakai, K., and Matsuka, T. Nov. 2024. “Moving Away from Carbon Neutrality Turmoil.” ACI Concrete International 46 (11): 58-60. doi:10.14359/51743318.
[4] Nagataki, S. (Ed.). 1995. Long-Term Durability of Concrete—Lessons from Otaru Port 100 Year Durability Test. Tokyo: Gihodo Shuppan. 278 pp.
[5] Japan Concrete Institute. 1993. “Carbonation Research Committee Report.” Proceedings of the Japan Concrete Institute 15 (1): 19-24.
[6] Kobayashi, K. Sept. 1990. “Effects of Carbon Dioxide on Concrete.” Journal of Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo 42 (9): 525-34.
[7] U.S. Geological Survey. Mar. 2025. Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025. 216 pp. doi:10.3133/mcs2025.
[8] Japan Cement Association. May 2025. The summary of LCI Data for Cement. 8 pp.
[9] Global Carbon Project. 2024. Supplemental Data of Global Carbon Budget 2024 (Version 1.0). doi:10.18160/gcp-2024.
[10] Japan Cement Association. 2025. Statistical Data, Sales, Fiscal Year 2024. 2 pp.
[11] Bertagni, M. B., Socolow, R. H., Martirez, J. M., Carter, E. A., Greig, C., Ju, Y., Lieuwen, T., Mueller, M. E., Sundaresan, S., Wang, R., Zondlo, M. A., and Porporato, A. Nov. 2023. “Minimizing the Impacts of the Ammonia Economy on the Nitrogen Cycle and Climate.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 120 (46): 1-8. doi:10.1073/pnas.2311728120.
[12] Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. 2021. Japan’s Energy White Paper 2021. Chapter 8, pp. 314-25.
[13] Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Sept. 2021. Report on Power Generation Cost Verification to the Subcommittee on Basic Policy. 186 pp.
[14] Nippon Slag Association. July 2024. Iron and Steel Slag Statistics 2023. 50 pp.
[15] World Steel Association. June 2025. World Steel in Figures 2025. 31 pp.
[16] Nippon Slag Association. Mar. 2025. Iron and Steel Slag. 60 pp.
[17] Japan Cement Association. June 2025. Cement Handbook 2025. 41 pp.
[18] Japan Cement Association. 2023. Changes in Amount of Cement-Based Solidifying Materials.
[19] Coffetti, D., Crotti, E., Gazzaniga, G., Carrara M., Pastore, T., and Coppola, L. Jan. 2022. “Pathways towards Sustainable Concrete.” Cement and Concrete Research 154: 1-13. doi:10.1016/j.cemconres.2022.106718.
[20] Gao, K., and Iliuta, M. C. May 2022. “Trends and Advances in the Development of Coal Fly Ash-Based Materials for Application in Hydrogen-Rich Gas Production: A Review.” Journal of Energy Chemistry 73: 485-512. doi:10.1016/j.jechem.2022.05.016.
[21] Gollakota, A. R. K., Volli, V., and Shu, C. July 2019. “Progressive Utilisation Prospects of Coal Fly Ash: A Review.” Science of The Total Environment 672: 951-89. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.337.
[22] Yao, Z. T., Ji, X. S., Sarker, P. K., Tang, J. H., Ge, L. Q., Xia, M. S., and Xi, Y. Q. Feb. 2015. “A Comprehensive Review on the Applications of Coal Fly Ash.” Earth-Science Reviews 141: 105-21. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2014.11.016.
[23] Izquierdo, M., and Querol, X. May 2012. “Leaching Behaviour of Elements from Coal Combustion Fly Ash: An Overview.” International Journal of Coal Geology 94: 54-66. doi:10.1016/j.coal.2011.10.006.
[24] Thiyagarajan, H., and Ramaswamy, A. July 2022. “Review of Alternative Ash Aggregates in Concrete-Solution towards Waste Management and Environmental Protection.” Environmental Science and Pollution Research 29: 62870-86. doi:10.1007/s11356-022-21720-x.
[25] Snellings, R. Aug. 2016. “Assessing, Understanding and Unlocking Supplementary Cementitious Materials.” RILEM Technical Letters 1: 50-5. doi:10.21809/rilemtechlett.2016.12.
[26] Dhadse, S., Kumari, P., and Bhagia, L. J. Jan. 2008. “Fly Ash Characterization, Utilization and Government Initiatives in India—A Review.” Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research 67: 11-8.
[27] Luo, Y., Wu, Y., Ma, S., Zheng, S., Zhang, Y., Chu, and P. K. April 2021. “Utilization of Coal Fly Ash in China: A Mini-review on Challenges and Future Directions.” Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28: 18727-40. doi:10.1007/s11356-020-08864-4.
[28] Central Pollution Control Boar, Government of India. Aug. 2022. Report on Fly Ash Generation at Coal/Lignite Based Thermal Power Stations and Its Utilization in the Country for the Year 2021-2022. https://cpcb.nic.in/fly-ash-management-and-utilization/.
[29] European Coal Combustion Products Association. 2016. Production and Utilization of CCPs in 2016 in Europe. https://www.ecoba.com/ecobaccpprod.html.
[30] Bhatt, A., Priyadarshini, S., Mohanakrishnan, A. A., Abri, A., Sattler, M., and Techapaphawit, S. Dec. 2019. “Physical, Chemical, and Geotechnical Properties of Coal Fly Ash: A Global Review.” Case Studies in Construction Materials 11: 1-14. doi:10.1016/j.cscm.2019.e00263.
[31] American Coal Ash Association. 2023. Coal Combustion Products Production & Use Reports. https://acaa-usa.org/publications/production-use-reports/.
[32] Valeev, D., Bobylev, P., Osokin, N., Zolotova, I., Rodionov, I., Concha, C. S., and Verichev, K. May 2022. “A Review of the Alumina Production from Coal Fly Ash, with a Focus in Russia.” Journal of Cleaner Production 363: 1-23. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.132360.
[33] Japan Carbon Frontier Organization. Mar. 2024. Coal Ash Statistical Data 2022. 44 pp.
[34] Ash Development Association of Australia. Jan.-Dec. 2023. Annual Production and Utilization Survey Report. pp. 1-5.
[35] Association of Canadian Industries Recycling Coal Ash. 2002. Fly Ash: Its Origin, Applications and the Environment. 2 pp.
[36] Japan Concrete Institute. Mar. 2021. Concrete Sustainability Committee Report—10 Year Summary and Outlook. pp. 289.
[37] Japan Concrete Institute. July 2010. Technical Committee on Minimization of Global Warming Substances and Wastes in Concrete Sectors. 302 pp.
[38] Japan Society of Civil Engineers. Dec. 2009. New Utilization Technologies of Fly Ash Concrete Suitable for Recycle Oriented Society. 383 pp.
[39] Sakai, K., and Matsuka, T. 2023. “The Essence of Carbon Neutrality in Concrete-Related Technologies.” ACI Concrete International 45: 40-1. doi:10.14359/51740202.
[40] IPCC. 2005. Carbon Dioside Capture and Storage. 443 pp.
[41] Akimoto, K. Apr. 2006. “Evaluation of Geological Storage Potential Using an Economic Evaluation Model.” The 13th meeting of the Expert Committee on International Strategy for Climate Change. 29 pp.
[42] IEA. Oct. 2021. World Energy Outlook 2021. 386 pp.
[43] Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Mar. 2023. CCS Long-Term Roadmap Working Group Final Summary. 29 pp.
[44] Global CCS Institute. Nov. 2020. Global Status of CCS 2020. 80 pp.
[45] IEA. Sept. 2020. Energy Technology Perspectives 2020. 174 pp.
[46] Global Carbon Project. Mar. 2025. Global Carbon Budget 2024. doi:10.5194/essd- 17-965-2025.
[47] Byrne, B., Liu, J., Bowman, K. W., Campbell, M. P., Chatterjee, A., Pandey, S., Miyazaki, K., van der Wef, G. R., Wunch, D., Wennberg, P. O., Roehl, C.M., and Sinha, S. 2024. “Carbon Emissions from the 2023 Canadian Wildfires.” Nature 633: 835-9. doi:10.1038/s41586-024-07878-z.
[48] Egusa, T., Kumagai, T., and Shiraishi, N. May 2020. “Carbon Stock in Japanese Forests Has Been Greatly Underestimated.” Scientific Reports 10. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-64851-2.
[49] Cao, Z., Myers, R. J., Lupton, R. C., Duan, H., Sacchi, R., Zhou, N., Miller, T. R., Cullen, J. M., Ge, Q., and Liu, G. July 2020. “The Sponge Effect and Carbon Emission Mitigation Potentials of the Global Cement Cycle.” Nature Communications 11. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17583-w.
[50] Huang, Z., Wang, J., Bing, L. Qiu, Y., Guo, R., Yu, Y., Ma, M., Niu, L., Tong, D., Andrew, R. M., Friedlingstein, P., Canadell, J. G., Xi, F., and Liu, Z. Nov. 2023. Global CO2 Uptake of Cement in 1930-2021. doi:10.5194/essd-15-4947-2023.
[51] Bing, L., Huang, Z., Wang, J., and Xi, F. July 2023. Global CO2 Uptake of Cement in 1930-2021. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7516373.
[52] Xi, F., Davis, S. J., Ciais, P., Brown, D. C., Guan, D., Pade, C., Shi, T., Syddall, M., Lv, J., Ji, L., Bing, L., Wang, J., Wei, W., Yang, K. H., Lagerblad, B., Galan, I., Andrade, C., Zhang, Y., and Liu, Z. Dec. 2016. “Substantial Global Carbon Uptake by Cement Carbonation.” Nature Geoscience 9: 880-3. doi:10.1038/ngeo2840.




