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Construction trends are always changing. While this can put serious stress on your contracting business, it also means there are plenty of interesting areas to explore through continuing education (CE). Instead of just checking the boxes to maintain your construction license, you can explore these trends through fulfilling and useful CE. 

Keeping Up With Environmentally Sound Procurement 

Companies, regulators, and public stakeholders are all pushing for greener concrete procurement for construction projects. Today, many projects follow low-embodied-carbon procurement rules, requiring clear documentation for sustainable materials such as environmental product declarations. 

Not only does this improve a construction company's reputation and align with client demands, but it can also unlock benefits from the government. Federal procurement has already implemented low-embodied-carbon material requirements for many projects, locking non-compliant companies out of those lucrative contracts. 

Advanced Concrete Blends and New Binder Materials 

The material science behind concrete is always changing, pushing for longer-lasting, more workable, and less costly mixtures. Many blends are moving away from fly ash and slag due to market forces and logistics, instead going with supplementary cementitious materials to meet demands. 

Some of the most common examples of supplementary cementitious materials include natural pozzolans, reclaimed fly ash, and calcined clays. The right mix can deliver better early strength gain, improve finishing windows, and reduce curing sensitivity. 

Modern construction applications are often highly demanding, making aligning your placement and curing plans an ongoing challenge. Trying out new mixes can take your business beyond just relying on past rules of thumb. 

Carbon Dioxide Mineralization and Utilization in Concrete 

One of the most contentious points of the concrete industry is its high carbon dioxide impact. However, modern methods are turning the tables in this area. Carbon dioxide mineralization is a process that captures carbon dioxide and transforms it into stable carbonates that can be incorporated into mixes. 

In many regions, this is going beyond just an additional perk. Various governments and industry programs are pushing carbon dioxide mineralization to mitigate impact, and it could soon become an industry standard or regulatory requirement. 

Today, any projects that call for lower-carbon concrete can be achieved using this method. Ensuring proper materials documentation is also critical here, because you’ll need to back up your emissions claims. 

Sensor-Laced Concrete for Smart Maintenance 

Long-term maintenance of concrete structures can be a challenge, but the use of sensor-laced concrete is changing everything. Embedded sensors in concrete can track strain, cracking, temperature, and other vital metrics to point out areas that require maintenance before serious damage happens. 

A variety of methods are available to achieve this, including the use of fiber optics. Effective sensor placement requires careful coordination with rebar, embeds, and pour sequencing to ensure sensors operate as planned once the structure is complete. 

Take Advantage of the Latest Industry Advancements 

These are just a few of the recent technological advancements transforming the concrete and construction industries. Being aware of trends and new technologies is vital to remaining competitive. RocketCert provides CE resources to help you go beyond just maintaining your construction license and achieve real growth.