Videos, Webinars & More
This collection of videos, webinars, on-demand courses and presentations can answer any questions about the mission of NEU and the industry goal to lower the level of carbon emissions in concrete. The recorded webinars are presented by industry experts and NEU technical staff.
NEU Webinar
General Presentation
Powering Low-Carbon Cement: Unlocking the Potential of Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Slag
Simon Blotevogel, Ecocem Materials
Electric arc furnace slags (EAFS) are by-products of electric steelmaking processes. In 2024, approximately 30% of global steel produced out via the EAF route, generating an estimated 283 Mt of EAFS annually. This volume is expected to rise as major European steel producers continue the electrification of their operations to reduce CO2 emissions.
Despite their significant CaO and SiO2 contents, EAFS currently have no established use as supplementary cementitious materials. Their limited reactivity, coupled with the absence of relevant certifications and standards for construction materials, has been a key barrier to their use. Over the past three years, however, advancements in granulation, chemical modification, and carbonation have demonstrated technically and economically viable pathways for incorporating EAFS as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs).
This presentation will outline the technical advantages, remaining challenges, and current technological readiness of the principal EAFS-to-SCM beneficiation strategies.
ACI Free Online Educational Presentations
ACI Convention
Optimizing Concrete Mixtures with AI: From Open-Source Models to Data-Center Deployment
Dr. Nishant Garg, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Julius Kusuma, Meta; Mark Bintzler, Amrize
Modern concrete must simultaneously satisfy evolving demands for mechanical performance, workability, durability, and sustainability, making mix designs increasingly complex. Recent studies with AI and ML models show promise in predicting compressive strength and guiding mix optimization. However, they rely largely on proprietary industrial datasets and closed-source models. Here we introduce an open-source AI model trained on a new open-access dataset comprising 500+ diverse strength measurements (1–15 ksi) from 123 mortar (69) and concrete (54) mixes tested across five ages (1, 3, 5, 14, and 28 days). This high-fidelity dataset was generated at University of Illinois by importing all concrete ingredients from a specific data center site in Minnesota. Using Gaussian Process Regression combined with Bayesian Optimization, our AI model was able to reliably forecast strength-development trajectories while quantifying predictive uncertainty (R² = 0.95 and RMSE = 670 psi). Finally, the AI model enabled generation of optimized mix recipes with lower CO2 footprint and higher performance compared to the baseline mix. These recipes were then deployed in critical sections (floor slabs) of the data center, scheduled to open in 2026. This openly shared dataset and model, and its deployment in a real-world setting establishes a promising foundation for future data-driven strength forecasting and mix optimization.
ACI Free Online Educational Presentations
ACI Convention
Implementing Low Carbon Concrete
Ryan Cialdella, Ozinga
This presentation provides an overview of Ozinga strategy to implement a successful Low Carbon Concrete initiative. It focuses on the key steps taken and lessons learned on specific projects, including a tilt up panel pilot project in St. Louis, MO, to full scale application and construction of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center campus project in Indiana.
ACI Free Online Educational Presentations
ACI Convention
Laboratory Testing and Small-Scale Demonstrations – The Pathway to Success for Low Carbon Concrete
Thomas Van Dam, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
This presentation discusses employing rigorous laboratory testing and small-scale demonstrations to achieve success when using low carbon concrete in construction. Carbon reduction is achieved by reducing portland cement clinker in concrete, replacing it in the binder with alternative cements and/or supplementary cementitious materials and by reducing the total cementitious content in the concrete through aggregate optimization. This often results in concrete mixtures that behave differently than those traditionally provided by suppliers and placed by contractors. This presentation emphasizes the need to conduct rigorous laboratory testing to evaluate fresh and hardened concrete properties beyond traditional testing, paying special attention to workability, bleeding, setting, and thermal characteristics as well as early strength gain, shrinkage, and other hardened properties. The use of full-scale demonstrations are suggested to ensure that the means and methods of concrete production and construction are well-suited to placement of the low embodied carbon concrete to avoid surprises once construction begins.
ACI Free Online Educational Presentations
ACI Convention
Concrete Roadmap the Journey! Measuring and Tracking Decarbonization through the use of Cement and Concrete Solutions in the Built Environment
Shawn Kayln, VCNA St Marys
This presentation reviewed the clinker, cement, concrete, construction, and carbon uptake stages and examined possible solutions within each. Discussion included the adoption of ASTM C595 blended cements beyond PLC, which includes Type IS (Slag Blended Cement), Type IP (Pozzolan Blended Cement), and Type IT (Ternary Blended Cement). The EPD process, local cement plant product-specific EPDs, as well as the newest cement PCR (published in July 2025), were discussed. Kayln encourages everyone that concrete’s GWP and its performance in the built environment can be positive.
NEU Webinar
General Presentation
Utilizing ACI Code 323 – Low-Carbon Concrete: Real World Implementation and Examples
Nathan Forrest PE, Technical Director at California Nevada Cement Association
ACI Code 323 was introduced in November of 2024 and is ready for adoption by authorities having jurisdiction in green building standards, as well as for incorporation into project-specific specifications.
In this presentation, Nathan Forrest PE, Technical Director at California Nevada Cement Association will briefly review the ACI 323 Code requirements and then walk through specific examples of how the code can be utilized on projects of varying size and scope.