Concrete.ai has announced the commercial release of its new platform, Concrete Copilot, which may allow concrete producers to optimize the cost, performance, and carbon reduction of concrete mixes.
The Concrete Copilot platform reportedly allows producers to identify concrete mixes specifically needed for low-embodied carbon projects without disrupting plant operations or affecting performance and cost. The platform integrates with a given producer’s current and historical data and then can make millions of mix designs based on the producer’s specific objectives. It is then able to identify the optimal mix for the user so they may make any necessary modifications based on their own judgment.
During field testing for the Concrete Copilot, the company worked with concrete producers throughout the United States, optimizing mix designs used for over 2 million cubic yards of concrete. Most of these producers reportedly experienced an average of $5.04 savings per cubic yard and an average carbon reduction of 30% within one month of implementing the platform, Concrete.ai said.
The California-based company may also assist concrete producers as they work to adhere to the state’s new Embodied Carbon Emissions Control, which will become effective in July 2024. The EPA has also incentivized lowering levels of embodied carbon associated with construction projects across the country.
Concrete.ai said it aims to reduce the annual global emissions impact of concrete by about 500 million tons of carbon solely through concrete mix optimization.
AI Platform May Adapt as New Low-Carbon Cement Materials Enter the Market
With concrete known for its significant emissions impact, a number of companies have begun to develop low-carbon concrete options and concrete alternatives.
For instance, Blair Block began producing concrete blocks with 70% to 100% lower embodied carbon than conventional concrete last year. Researchers are also exploring how agricultural waste products, steel fibers, shredded tires, and other materials may act as cement replacements.
As additional low-carbon cement materials enter the market, the Concrete.ai platform is reportedly able to adapt and make quick adjustments to assess how new materials may impact overall product performance.
“Integrating Concrete Copilot into our existing software was a remarkably quick and smooth process,” said Chris Rapp, vice president and general manager of VCNA Prairie Materials. “Using our own data and local materials, the tool efficiently streamlined our mix design process, allowing us to maximize materials cost savings and deploy the optimized mix designs into production faster. This resulted in significant reductions in cost and carbon footprint.”