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Home > News and Events > News > News Detail
12/8/2025
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The ACI Foundation is proud to announce its partnership with the Charles Pankow Foundation (CPF), American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA), Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA) Foundation, and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) to fund the research project “CURE – Code Updates for Reduction of Embodied-Carbon.” Led by CPF, the objective of the CURE project is to identify and prioritize design provisions in current codes and standards that could result in a substantial reduction of embodied carbon without compromising safety. By examining provisions in widely used documents such as ASCE/SEI 7, ACI CODE-318, and the AISC specification, the project aims to produce a comprehensive “road map” outlining areas for potential modification and further study. The project’s Principal Investigator is Abbie Liel, Clark Endowed Faculty Fellow at the University of Colorado Boulder, and the Co-Principal Investigator is Ian McFarlane, Senior Principal at Magnusson Klemencic Associates and an active member of ACI. The CURE committee also includes 10 additional members, including practicing structural engineers and academics. The Phase 1 effort was announced in June during the SEI Conference: Toward Zero Carbon 2025: Summit and Symposium. To date, progress within the project has led to the development of a list of provisions that could potentially be revised, a more thorough understanding of the development history of these code provisions, and the ongoing monitoring of other codes, standards, and guides that connect to the project’s objective. “Reducing embodied carbon in the built environment requires collaboration across materials, disciplines, and codes,” said Ann Masek, executive director, ACI Foundation. “The ACI Foundation is proud to support this forward-looking initiative that will inform future updates to existing codes and standards and accelerate the industry’s progress toward a more sustainable future.” The CURE collaboration underscores the ACI Foundation’s commitment to advancing sustainable construction through research, innovation, and partnerships that bridge materials and engineering disciplines. Along with the ACI Foundation, ACI and its committees continue to explore developments related to the advancement of sustainability and resiliency. In 2024, ACI, through the work of ACI Committee 323, released ACI CODE-323-24: Low-Carbon Concrete—Code Requirements and Commentary. The Code provides provisions for concrete where reduced global warming potential (GWP) is required and may be adopted as a stand-alone code or can be used in combination with a structural design code or low-carbon material code adopted by an authority having jurisdiction. In 2025, ACI released the latest edition of its flagship document, ACI CODE-318-25: Building Code for Structural Concrete – Code Requirements and Commentary. This latest edition introduces significant updates, including a new sustainability appendix that reflects modern construction practices, revised requirements for post-installed reinforcing bars, and enhanced provisions for shear friction. About the American Concrete Institute: The American Concrete Institute (ACI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the leading global authority for the development, dissemination, and adoption of its consensus-based standards, technical resources, and educational, training, and certification programs. Founded in 1904, ACI is headquartered in Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA, with a regional office in Dubai, UAE, and Resource Centers located in Southern California, the Midwest (Chicago, IL area), and the Mid-Atlantic (Baltimore, MD area). ACI has more than 90 chapters, more than 350 student chapters, and approximately 40,000 members spanning more than 120 countries. The American Concrete Institute – Always advancing®. Visit concrete.org for additional information. About the ACI Foundation: ACI established the ACI Foundation in 1989 as part of its commitment to support students’ education, research, and innovation throughout the concrete industry. ACI Foundation is a not-for‐profit 501(c)(3) organization. The Foundation supports a wide range of research and educational initiatives that contribute to keeping the concrete industry at the forefront of technological advances in material composition, design, and construction. The ACI Foundation’s proactive, forward‐thinking, and collaborative focus offers those who are passionate about their work and legacy an institution for contributing to the future through their expertise, experience, and donations as the organization identifies trends, opportunities, and needs, while actively supporting the next generation of leaders in the concrete industry. To support these initiatives, ACI Foundation oversees three councils: the Concrete Research Council (CRC), the Scholarship Council (SC), and the Concrete Innovation Council (CIC). Council members are instrumental to guiding the educational, research, scientific, and charitable goals of the Foundation.
The ACI Foundation is proud to announce its partnership with the Charles Pankow Foundation (CPF), American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA), Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA) Foundation, and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) to fund the research project “CURE – Code Updates for Reduction of Embodied-Carbon.”
Led by CPF, the objective of the CURE project is to identify and prioritize design provisions in current codes and standards that could result in a substantial reduction of embodied carbon without compromising safety. By examining provisions in widely used documents such as ASCE/SEI 7, ACI CODE-318, and the AISC specification, the project aims to produce a comprehensive “road map” outlining areas for potential modification and further study.
The project’s Principal Investigator is Abbie Liel, Clark Endowed Faculty Fellow at the University of Colorado Boulder, and the Co-Principal Investigator is Ian McFarlane, Senior Principal at Magnusson Klemencic Associates and an active member of ACI. The CURE committee also includes 10 additional members, including practicing structural engineers and academics.
The Phase 1 effort was announced in June during the SEI Conference: Toward Zero Carbon 2025: Summit and Symposium. To date, progress within the project has led to the development of a list of provisions that could potentially be revised, a more thorough understanding of the development history of these code provisions, and the ongoing monitoring of other codes, standards, and guides that connect to the project’s objective.
“Reducing embodied carbon in the built environment requires collaboration across materials, disciplines, and codes,” said Ann Masek, executive director, ACI Foundation. “The ACI Foundation is proud to support this forward-looking initiative that will inform future updates to existing codes and standards and accelerate the industry’s progress toward a more sustainable future.”
The CURE collaboration underscores the ACI Foundation’s commitment to advancing sustainable construction through research, innovation, and partnerships that bridge materials and engineering disciplines.
Along with the ACI Foundation, ACI and its committees continue to explore developments related to the advancement of sustainability and resiliency. In 2024, ACI, through the work of ACI Committee 323, released ACI CODE-323-24: Low-Carbon Concrete—Code Requirements and Commentary. The Code provides provisions for concrete where reduced global warming potential (GWP) is required and may be adopted as a stand-alone code or can be used in combination with a structural design code or low-carbon material code adopted by an authority having jurisdiction. In 2025, ACI released the latest edition of its flagship document, ACI CODE-318-25: Building Code for Structural Concrete – Code Requirements and Commentary. This latest edition introduces significant updates, including a new sustainability appendix that reflects modern construction practices, revised requirements for post-installed reinforcing bars, and enhanced provisions for shear friction.
About the American Concrete Institute:
The American Concrete Institute (ACI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the leading global authority for the development, dissemination, and adoption of its consensus-based standards, technical resources, and educational, training, and certification programs. Founded in 1904, ACI is headquartered in Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA, with a regional office in Dubai, UAE, and Resource Centers located in Southern California, the Midwest (Chicago, IL area), and the Mid-Atlantic (Baltimore, MD area). ACI has more than 90 chapters, more than 350 student chapters, and approximately 40,000 members spanning more than 120 countries. The American Concrete Institute – Always advancing®. Visit concrete.org for additional information.
About the ACI Foundation:
ACI established the ACI Foundation in 1989 as part of its commitment to support students’ education, research, and innovation throughout the concrete industry. ACI Foundation is a not-for‐profit 501(c)(3) organization. The Foundation supports a wide range of research and educational initiatives that contribute to keeping the concrete industry at the forefront of technological advances in material composition, design, and construction.
The ACI Foundation’s proactive, forward‐thinking, and collaborative focus offers those who are passionate about their work and legacy an institution for contributing to the future through their expertise, experience, and donations as the organization identifies trends, opportunities, and needs, while actively supporting the next generation of leaders in the concrete industry.
To support these initiatives, ACI Foundation oversees three councils: the Concrete Research Council (CRC), the Scholarship Council (SC), and the Concrete Innovation Council (CIC). Council members are instrumental to guiding the educational, research, scientific, and charitable goals of the Foundation.
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