Daewoo E&C said on the 27th that on the 23rd it became the first domestic construction company to receive final approval from the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment for the environmental product declaration (EPD) certification review for its "carbon-reducing early-strength concrete."
This certification is the first case in which the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI), under the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, officially verified the life cycle assessment (LCA) environmental impact of the "carbon-reducing early-strength concrete (DECOCON)" jointly developed by Daewoo E&C and Halla Cement. Daewoo E&C assessed that it has proven both the sustainability and competitiveness of construction technology.
EPD certification is a system that quantitatively evaluates and transparently discloses the environmental impact generated throughout the entire life cycle of a product, including raw material extraction, production, construction, use, and disposal. Daewoo E&C applied for certification based on data accumulated at its sites through consulting from the Hanyang University Carbon Neutral Smart Architecture Center, and received final approval after passing both the document review and on-site inspection.
Daewoo E&C's "carbon-reducing early-strength concrete" replaces cement, the main source material emitting greenhouse gases, with ground granulated blast-furnace slag by using early-strength slag cement. As a result, it secures a carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission reduction effect of up to 54% compared with conventional concrete.
It also improves early strength and durability even in winter, making it highly applicable on site. It is being evaluated as a technology that goes beyond the limitations of early-strength concrete, which had been used mainly for precast structures, to be applicable across cast-in-place structures.
Daewoo E&C said the application of the "carbon-reducing early-strength concrete" has been completed or is underway at eight major sites nationwide, and it is continuing to push for broader application at sites.
Starting with this EPD certification, Daewoo E&C plans to obtain the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment's "low-carbon product certification" in December this year. It also plans to additionally obtain the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry's "carbon reduction certification (carbon reduction methodology and business plan, monitoring report certification)" by February next year. "Carbon reduction certification" is a system that lays the groundwork for converting the product's greenhouse gas reduction effect into carbon credits by receiving official recognition. .
Daewoo E&C plans to continue to respond to the government's "2050 carbon neutrality" policy and lead the eco-friendly and low-carbon transition of Korea's construction industry by developing carbon-reducing construction materials and expanding their on-site application.