Izzy McGarvey, Environmental Manager for Menard North America, Menard USA
In many cases, ground improvement can offer financial and environmental advantages compared to traditional foundation systems. Ground improvement comes in many forms – the most environmentally friendly are those that don’t use concrete at all since concrete production, especially cement, is very carbon intensive. Rigid inclusions are ground improvement elements are often used in place of piles. Rigid inclusions are typically unreinforced and allow for the use of shallow foundations and slabs-on-grade as opposed to piles, which are often steel-reinforced and require the use of pile caps, grade beams, and a structural slab, all of which are also steel-reinforced. While ground improvement is inherently more sustainable than the traditional foundations it often replaces, we go even further – minimizing our own carbon footprint is a key priority at Menard!
The carbon footprint of a company (or an individual) is generally split into three scopes, as follows:
- Scope 1 covers direct emissions, or “emissions we burn.” For a specialty contractor such as Menard, this is mainly the fuel used in company vehicles and equipment.
- Scope 2 covers purchased emissions, or “emissions we buy.” Scope 2 covers items like electricity and heating.
- Scope 3 covers indirect or embodied emissions, or “everything else.” The carbon embodied in the process of creating the concrete we pump or the steel we use fall into this category, along with emissions from flights and other materials.
Combined, these three scopes make up a carbon footprint.
Any company that wishes to reduce their carbon footprint should first analyze their impact, broken down by item and scope. For instance, in 2023, nearly 90% of Menard USA’s carbon footprint came from the concrete that we installed. Therefore, it made sense to target our concrete usage first, looking at using less concrete via design optimization and using concrete-less techniques wherever possible. Additionally, Menard put effort into reducing the emissions factors (i.e. carbon intensity) of the concrete mixes that we do use by lowering cement contents. Since the baseline year in 2021, we have reduced our Scope 3 emissions by 23%, despite our company’s growth! The largest impact items will vary company by company, so to get the most benefit in reducing your company’s carbon footprint, start with a thorough analysis of where the impact lies.
