Among its conclusions, the study found that up to 72% of carbon emissions from wood products may not be accounted for in commercial Life-cycle Assessments (LCA). When these emissions are taken into account, concrete’s embodied carbon footprint could be up to 6% less intensive than that of wood products, challenging the assumption that wood materials are inherently less carbon intensive than steel or concrete.
LOGGING SCARS,Wildland League, December 2019,
Further evidence about the hidden carbon footprint of wood was released by Toronto- based Wildlands League. Titled “Logging Scars,” the research found that the wood industry’s reforestation efforts are significantly less successful than assumed.
BOREAL LOGGING SCARS MAP, Wildlands League, July 2020
Other Sources and References:
Canada’s managed forests have turned into super-emitters, and 2018 set a record, National Observer, June 2020,
Wooden high-rises don’t guarantee reduced emissions, Peter Fairley, Crosscut, May 2020,
The Logging Loophole: How the Logging Industry’s Unregulated Carbon Emissions Undermine Canada’s Climate Goals report, NRDC, Environmental Defence, Nature Canada, July 2020
To save our climate we need taller trees not taller wooden buildings, John Talberth, Center for Sustainable Economy, February 2020,
Canada uses ‘creative accounting’ to push forest emissions off the books, Barry Saxifrage, The Energy Mix, April 2020,
Clearcutting the planet’s carbon pools, Tzeporah Berman, Corporate Knights, May 2020,
Canada is failing to track the true climate cost of clearcut logging in boreal: report, Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, July 2020,
Here’s what’s happening to BC forests, David Broadland, Focus on Victoria, August 2020,
CO2 emissions from forestry are a surging climate threat. Ottawa needs to act, Barry Saxifrage, National Observer, November 2020,
Carbon Sequestration in Forest Based Products,, Pacific Northwest Building Resilience Coalition, 2018, Globe Advisors.
The Great American Stand, US Forests and the Climate Emergency, Dogwood Alliance, 2017, Executive Summary,
Resources on concrete carbonation
(Re)Carbonation, A little-known fact about cement is that it is a carbon sink!, CEMBUREAU,
Substantial global carbon uptake by cement carbonation, Nature Geoscience, November 2016,

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Please feel free to ultilize these publications for your own use. High resolution (print quality) artwork is available by calling the ACA Office.






CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN WOOD BUILDING PRODUCTS, PRESENTATION BY BRENT McGRATH
Watch Presentation
RESILIENCE: ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE - DR. BLAIR FELTMATE
Watch Presentation
CCEPA: HISTORY OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - DR. BLAIR FELTMATE
Watch Presentation
CatIQ's CATASTROPHE CONFERENCE - DR. BLAIR FELTMATE
Watch Presentation
CONCRETE MIXER DRIVER RECRUITMENT VIDEO
Watch Short Video
Watch Long Video
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A READY MIX DRIVER
Watch Short Video
Watch Long Video
NEW - CPCI ENERGY GUIDERead the Guide
ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATION DOCUMENT - for the Canadian Ready-Mixed Industry
Download the EPD document
STUDY OF INSURANCE COSTS FOR MID-RISE WOOD FRAME AND CONCRETE RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGSRead the Summary
Read the full report
STUDY OF INSURANCE COSTS FOR MID-RISE WOOD FRAME AND CONCRETE RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGSRead the Executive Summary
Read the full Report
DETAILED COST ANALYSIS BETWEEN WOOD AND CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Read Report.pdf
NOTICE OF CHANGE FOR PLANT CERTIFICATION CSA STANDARD A23.1-14 - APRIL, 2016
Delivery Ticket Requirements mem_aca_changes_a231_deliveryslip_201604191.pdf
CONCRETE EXPOSURE CLASSESDownload the report
SLAB SURFACE PREVENTION REPAIRDownload the report
SUSTAINABILITY, WOOD AND THE ENVIRONMENTDownload the report
CANADIAN CEMENT INDUSTRY SUSTAINABILITY REPORTENGLISH_FINAL_2010_SD_Report_Mar17.pdf
MATERIAL SELECTION MATTERS SEMINAR – PRESENTED BY JOHN STRAUBE, PHD., P.ENG., RDH BUILDING SCIENCE LABORATORIES
This seminar presentation provides up-to-date building science information about material selection and how to apply building science principles to construct resilient, durable, energy efficient and healthy buildings.
View the presentation…
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF CONTRMPRA (PORTLAND-LIMESTONE CEMENT) AND REGULAR CEMENT
AN ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF PORTLAND-LIMESTONE AND ORDINARY PORTLAND CEMENTS IN CONCRETE
A cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment study of both Portland-limestone cement and ordinary Portland cement released by Athena Sustainable Materials Institute in 2014 demonstrates that Portland-limestone cement has lower impacts in all indicators and is about 10% better in greenhouse gas emissions. Read the technical brief
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
CAC OPED ON FACING THE CHALLENGE OF ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN CANADA
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA) – BUILDINGS
AN ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF PORTLAND-LIMESTONE AND ORDINARY PORTLAND CEMENTS IN CONCRETE
A cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment study of both Portland-limestone cement and ordinary Portland cement released by Athena Sustainable Materials Institute in 2014 demonstrates that Portland-limestone cement has lower impacts in all indicators and is about 10% better in greenhouse gas emissions. Read the technical brief
ATHENA INSTITUTE OFFERS NEW GUIDE TO LCA CREDITS IN GREEN BUILDING PROGRAMSRead the guide
Read the report
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF PRECAST CONCRETE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
Athena Sustainable Institute, Morrison Hershfield, Venta, Glaser & Associates, CPCIRead the report
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN OF PRECAST CONCRETE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS IN CANADA
Athena Sustainable Institute, Morrison Hershfield, CPCIRead the report
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA) OF BUILDINGS
Concrete Sustainability Hub | Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyRead the Report
MIT CONCRETE SUSTAINABILITY HUBVisit the Concrete Sustainability Hub
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA) - PAVEMENTS
ATHENA SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS INSTITUTE RELEASES UPDATE TO ITS PAVEMENT LCA TOOL WITH A NEW NAME AND MANY NEW FEATURES
The North American pioneer in construction sector LCA today released Version 2.1 of ‘Pavement LCA’, formerly known as the Impact Estimator for Highways, with a variety of new features including US locations and sample projects. Read more and access the software
ATHENA SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS INSTITUTE IMPACT ESTIMATOR FOR HIGHWAYS - VERSION 2.0
The Athena Sustainable Materials Institute Impact Estimator for Highways provides quick and easy Life Cycle Assessment results for Canadian roadways. Read more and access the software
EQUIVALENT PAVEMENT STRUCTURAL DESIGN MATRIX AND LCCA FOR MUNICIPAL ROADWAYS
Updated reports for municipal roadways are now available:
• Nova Scotia 2013 (updated 2015)
• Ontario 2011 (updated 2015)
• Quebec 2012 (updated 2015)
• Alberta 2015
• British Columbia 2016
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA) OF HIGHWAY PAVEMENTS
Concrete Sustainability Hub | Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyRead the Report
ATHENA SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS INSTITUTE - A LIFE CYCLE PERSPECTIVE ON CONCRETE AND ASPHALT ROADWAYS: EMBODIED PRIMARY ENERGY AND GLOBAL WARMING POTENTIAL
MIT CONCRETE SUSTAINABILITY HUBVisit the Concrete Sustainability Hub
NATIONAL CONCRETE PAVEMENT TECHNOLOGY CENTER
Visit the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center
MANUFACTURING PROCESS RESEARCH
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES IN CEMENT MANUFACTURING – A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE
Network for Business Sustainability, 2011Read the Report
THE CEMENT SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE 2012 REPORT
World Business Council for Sustainable Development
In 2002, the founding members of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) published their Agenda for Action. It sets out a program of work, focusing on certain specific areas. In each area, there are two kinds of action: joint projects, on which a group of companies will work together to tackle a specific environmental or social issue; and individual actions, which will be implemented by each company in its own operations (including target setting and performance reporting), applying both innovation and best practice.
This Progress Report provides a snapshot of CSI’s achievements over the past ten years, as well as an outlook onto the future issues the cement industry will need to tackle, how the CSI and its member companies are planning to respond to changing and new sustainability challenges.Read the Report
NEW! ACA Truck Decals Available for Certified Producer Members
A new look is coming in 2018! Truck Decals with ACA's logo are available for members to purchase.
The cost is $7 / decal plus HST. Postage is included in cost.
To order truck decals, contact the ACA Office.
ACA members are comprised of Producer and Associate members. Numerous changes have been made in recent years to develop ACA into a more efficient, stronger voice for the ready mixed concrete industry. This has been accomplished to a great degree by strengthening and adding to our committee system, by encouraging more of our members to involve themselves in the operations of the ACA, by opening the ACA office and through the formulation of a Governance Structure and Strategic Plan.
If you have any questions about ACA membership please contact ACA.
BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
CONCRETE PRODUCTION FACILITIES CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
Adapted from the National Ready Mix Concrete Association to meet the requirements of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA A23.1), this program is a prerequisite for producer membership, and ensures that plants, equipment, and raw materials are maintained to a level capable of producing quality concrete. This program is one of the cornerstones of ACA.
We seek to have our certification program specified as a tool for consultants and government authorities to ensure the concrete products they specify can be produced, and to put all ready mixed concrete producers on a level playing field. The NS Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, the NB Department of Transportation, the NB Department of Supply and Services, the NL Department of Works Services and Transportation, the NL Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, the PE Department of Transportation and Public Works, the cities of Fredericton and Corner Brook, and other specifying authorities, have written into their concrete specifications that concrete supplied for their projects must come from an ACA certified facility.
SEAL OF QUALITY CONCRETE
This is a supplementary program to the Concrete Production Facilities Certification Program and allows producers to qualify for a certificate which indicates their further commitment to the quality and consistency of their products.
FINANCIAL BENEFITS
Ask Zomaron about the NEW FREE TERMINAL PROGRAM


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ACA members will receive 10% off hotel room rates at participating Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality Inn, Clarion Inn, Sleep Inn, MainStay Suites, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn locations around the world. Contact: Book by calling 1-800-4CHOICE (1-800-424-6423) or visit www.choicehotels.ca/atlanticconcrete and provide the ACA CHOICE CLIENT ID/CID 00342640.

ACA members will receive 10% all work and safety clothes. Contact the ACA office to receive your cards.
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OFFICE
ACA first opened its own office in late 1995. The generous financial support of the cement companies through the Cement Association of Canada (CAC), Shaw Resources, and the Stevens Group, as well as the commitment by the Association to become a stronger, more effective organization, led to this venture.The ACA office is located on 3845 Joseph Howe Drive on the 3rd floor. Drop in and visit us!
MARKETING
This most important program, fundamental to the ongoing success of ACA, is a proactive, multi-media diverse approach to promote the producer and associate members, products available from producers, and those messages from the ready mixed concrete industry which will raise the level of awareness about concrete usage in the Atlantic Region.
ORGANIZATION
Numerous changes have been made in recent years to develop ACA into a more efficient, stronger voice for the ready mixed concrete industry. This has been accomplished to a great degree by strengthening and adding to our committee system, by encouraging more of our members to involve themselves in the operations of the ACA, by opening the ACA office and through the formulation of a Governance structure and Strategic Plan. Click here for information on some of our more active committees.
ACA POLICIES
Members First Policy
The Board of Directors unanimously reaffirmed ACA's position that all members should support their producer and associate colleagues through the purchase of goods and services, whenever possible. Members should always be given an opportunity to quote, at the very least.
ACA promotes this policy publicly, at special events, through various mailings and the Ready Mix News. The development of loyalty among members through supplier-customer relationships strengthens ACA, builds members' businesses, and provides greater purchasing power for members.
Recommended Quality Management Practices Policy
Instituted by ACA in 1998, and guided by a policy steering committee, the objective of this policy is to improve product quality control by members during the process of manufacturing concrete, and especially during final mixing, discharge, and placing.
The policy emphasizes No customer-added materials, and a dedication to quality end results. Although this policy is currently recommended, members are encouraged to adopt it as a standard course of operations. There may be a gradual transition to making this a mandatory policy.
OTHER SERVICES
Insurance Services
Stanhope Simpson have been experts in providing the construction industry insurance solutions for many years. And now the folks at Stanhope Simpson Insurance are helping our industry with some business advantages.
• Construction Insurance Business Solutions - Contact Stanhope Simpson Insurance for more information on how to better take advantage of insurance services for our industry. Call Stanhope Simpson Insurance 902 454-7198 and set up an appointment.
Promotional Literature
Designed and produced by ACA to promote its key products and programs, is readily available to members. Promotional and technical literature distributed by the Canadian Ready Mixed Concrete Association and the Cement Association of Canada is also available through the Association.
Opportunities for Socializing & Fellowship
ConAtlantic - Annual General Meeting and Convention usually held in February or March is rotated to centers around the region and occasionally to a warmer climate location. The AGM features the Annual Errol Praught Memorial Hockey Game between producer and associate members, a Casino night, a luncheon with invited guests from the local construction industry and business community, the President's Dinner & Dance, Associates' Exhibits featuring display tables and product presentations, information sessions, interesting speakers, awards, Spousal program and an outside event like bowling, curling or skiing.
Golf Tournament
Our Annual Industry Golf Tournament for members, clients, and friends of ACA, is held in September, and includes a reception, barbecue, prizes, and full day of "best ball" golf. This event provides members with an opportunity to entertain their customers, meet their supplier associates, and reward their staff for a job well done.
Summer Family Fun Weekend
Summer Board Meeting and Family Fun Weekend, usually held on the 2nd or 3rd weekend of August each year, and is rotated to one of many beautiful Maritime resort hotels. This annual event provides lots of fun and entertainment, golf, family functions and a barbecue, for young and old alike.
Decementfest
The Association closes off the year with our annual Decementfest; an excellent networking event for our membership and key partners.
Regular Meetings
Board Meetings, held at least quarterly, are open to all ACA members, and are opportunities to exchange views about the affairs of the Association and meet members from across the region. Members are welcome to contact the ACA office to be included in the ACA Minutes email list.
Dues Structure & Fees for Producer Members (see chart below)
Based on total combined volume of main and satellite plants for the previous year, in cubic meters:
0 m³ | to | 6,000 m³ | $960.00 per year |
6,001 m³ | to | 10,000 m³ | $1,600.00 per year |
10,001 m³ | to | 15,000 m³ | $2,400.00 per year |
15,001 m³ | to | 20,000 m³ | $3,200.00 per year |
20,001 m³ | to | 25,000 m³ | $4,000.00 per year |
25,001 m³ | to | 30,000 m³ | $4,800.00 per year |
30,001 m³ | to | 40,000 m³ | $6,400.00 per year |
40,001 m³ | to | 45,000 m³ | $7,200.00 per year |
45,001 m³ | to | 50,000 m³ | $8,000.00 per year |
50,001 m³ | to | 75,000 m³ | $8,500.00 per year |
75,001 m³ | to | 100,000 m³ | $9,000.00 per year |
100,001 m³ | to | 125,000 m³ | $9,500.00 per year |
125,001 m³ | to | 150,000 m³ | $10,000.00 per year |
150,001 m³ | to | 175,000 m³ | $10,500.00 per year |
175,001 m³ | to | 200,000 m³ | $11,500.00 per year |
200,001 m³ | to | 250,000 m³ | $12,000.00 per year |
250,001 m³ | to | 300,000 m³ | $13,000.00 per year |
300,001 m³ | to | 400,000 m³ | $15,000.00 per year |
400,001 m³ + | $17,000.00 per year |
INITIATION FEE
Fifty percent (50%) of current annual membership dues shall be paid as an initiation fee, plus current annual membership dues. The initiation fee is paid one time only, for producers joining ACA for the first time, or for producers who have at sometime in the past opted to leave ACA, but who wish to reinstate their membership.
PLANT CERTIFICATION FEE
Members should note that a plant certification assessment of *$475.00 per plant, plus $25.00 per ready mix truck will be invoiced after plants are re-inspected under the ACA Concrete Production Facilities Certification Program. Inspection of plants is carried out for new producer members in each of the first four years, then every second year.
*Remote Locations are based on a cost recovery pricing. Please contact the ACA office for more information.
MEMBER MOBILE MIX (VOLUMETRIC) CONCRETE PRODUCTION FACILITIES
Mobile Mix (Volumetric) Concrete Production Facilities Members should note that a Mobile Mix (Volumetric) certification assessment is carried out on a cost recovery basis only and will be invoiced after inspection is complete under the ACA Concrete Production Facilities Certification Program. Inspections are carried out for new producer members in each of the first four years, then every second year.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
The Atlantic Concrete Association provides several fun and educational opportunities a year for members to network with fellow industry members and their clients. We would very much encourage you to join if you regularly do business with ACA members and draw to your attention our "members first" policy. The annual dues are $475.00 plus HST. Note that ACA HST (GST) REGISTRATION # R122374572
Contact the ACA office for more information.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION