Zinc Enables Decarbonization
ZINC'S VALUE PROPOSITION
tonnes of zinc in use for every 4% of steel rebar galvanized
tonnes of CO2e savings (annual) for every 1% of steel rebar galvanized
%
less than 1% construction cost to double lifetime of road with galvanized rebar
tonnes of CO2e savings (lifetime) if 10% of roofs in USA were galvanized
Building strong communities begins with building strong infrastructure designed to last for generations. The construction materials historically used for housing, energy distribution, and transportation were chosen based on initial cost, with little consideration for corrosion prevention and longevity. Adding zinc creates value because it prevents corrosion and extends longevity. Building with zinc adds value to any structure by multiplying service life as well as reducing maintenance, climate impacts, and costs for consumers.
The Zinc Enables Decarbonization (ZED) initiative quantifies and substantiates the economic, environmental, and social benefits of using zinc. IZA has partnered with Environmental Economist Benjamin Cox from BRIMM at the from the University of British Columbia to develop Value-in-Use models for zinc in housing, transportation and energy infrastructure, and automotive applications.
The zinc industry has made significant strides in developing and implementing frameworks and actions to reduce its carbon footprint. The Zinc Enables Decarbonization (ZED) program builds on the return on investment from the carbon footprint of production, recycling, and key downstream processes by quantifying how zinc-in-use extends the life of the built environment.
-
Building a Greener Future
Through its ZED program, IZA aims at quantifying zinc’s savings in lifetime carbon and costs across the following four key market sectors:
Residential Construction
Automotive
Results coming soon
Energy
Results coming soon
Infrastructure
Results coming soon
Carbon Value
Academic and market researchers predict that carbon prices will need to surpass $150 per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions to drive meaningful decarbonization efforts (CRU, 2023). This underscores the urgent need for solutions to address embodied carbon, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions released during construction, including throughout the entire life cycle of building materials and construction processes, including raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, construction, and maintenance. Zinc significantly decreases the embodied carbon footprint by extending the service life of materials and reducing the frequency of maintenance and replacement.
Sustainability = Value
Zinc's inherent sustainability brings value across market sectors including automotive, consumer products, energy, food security and infrastructure.
