Green building materials: concrete admixture water reducing agent

The core content of the certification is

concrete admixture water-reducing agent green building materials certification focuses on the green performance of the product throughout its life cycle. The core review includes the following four attribute dimensions:

• resource attributes: including water intake requirements per unit of product, utilization rate of solid waste generated in the production process, etc. Indicators. Through quantitative calculation, we ensure that enterprises achieve water resource conservation and waste resource utilization during the production process.
• Energy attributes: Focus on energy consumption indicators per unit of product production, promote enterprises to adopt energy-saving technologies and clean production processes, and reduce energy consumption intensity.
• Environmental attributes: Covering requirements such as industrial wastewater emissions per unit of product, control of occupational disease hazard factors in the workplace, and emission of air pollutants. Production companies are required to provide third-party environmental testing reports within the past year.
• Quality attributes: According to the GB8076 "Concrete Admixtures" standard, key performance indicators such as water reducing rate, compressive strength ratio and shrinkage ratio of the water reducing agent are tested to ensure that the product has excellent performance while meeting green requirements.

Certification level and evaluation system

Green building materials product grading certification is based on the T/CECS10073 -2019 standard. According to the evaluation index level achieved by the product, it is divided into three levels from low to high:

• one-star: meets the basic green evaluation requirements and conforms to the national basic standards for green building materials.
• Two-star: It has performed well in resource conservation, energy consumption, environmental protection, etc., reaching the advanced level in the industry.
• Three-star: Excellent green performance and minimum impact on the ecological environment throughout the life cycle. It is the highest level of green building materials product.

Companies applying for different levels of production must meet corresponding additional requirements. For example, two-star and three-star applicants must provide environmental product declarations (EPD) and carbon footprint reports within the validity period, and pass cleaner production reviews.

Certification units are

divided into three certification units according to product types:

• ordinary water reducing agent: admixture that can reduce the amount of water used for mixing under the conditions of basically the same concrete slump.
• Superplasticizer: An admixture that can greatly reduce the amount of water used in mixing and has a higher water reduction rate.
• High-performance water reducing agent: A water reducing agent that has higher water reducing rate, better slump retention performance, less drying shrinkage, and certain air-entraining performance than superplasticizer.

When the same production enterprise, the same product but different production sites, it should be used as different certification units.

Basic requirements for certification

Enterprises and products applying for green building materials certification of concrete admixture water-reducing agent must meet the following basic conditions:

• Management system requirements: Quality management systems must be established and operated in accordance with GB/T 19001, GB/T 24001, and GB/T 45001. Environmental management system and occupational health and safety management system.
• Production safety requirements: Production safety standardization should meet the requirements of GB/T 33000 or JC/T 2163, and an energy management system should be established and operated in accordance with GB/T 23331.
• Environmental compliance requirements: Pollutant emissions from production enterprises should comply with relevant environmental laws and regulations, and there have been no major safety accidents or environmental pollution incidents in the past three years. Hazardous waste storage shall comply with GB 18597, and general industrial solid waste storage shall comply with GB 18599.
• Product performance requirements: The product quality level should meet the requirements of GB8076 "Concrete Admixtures" standard, and provide the product inspection report on the water reduction rate, compressive strength ratio and shrinkage ratio issued in accordance with GB8076 in the past one year.
• Control of harmful substances: Concrete water reducers with indoor use functions need to provide an ammonia release inspection report (in accordance with GB 18588), and an inspection report on residual formaldehyde (in accordance with GB 31040) is required if formaldehyde is introduced into the production process of raw materials or products.
• Automated production requirements: Production enterprises should have an automated production control system, and key process parameters (including temperature in the kettle, raw material dropping rate, water and alkali addition amount in the kettle, pH value, annual and ion content, etc.) can be monitored and automatically controlled, with automatic alarm and interlock shutoff functions.

Certification process

Green building materials product classification certification implementation initial inspection + product sampling inspection + post-certification supervision model:

• Certification application: Submit application form (indicating the green building materials level applied for), business license, product process flow chart, factory organization chart, key raw material filing list, product type inspection report valid within one year, management system-related document catalog and other information.
• Data technical review: The certification body reviews the integrity, adaptability and effectiveness of the application documents. The number of review person-days is generally 2 person-days, and every additional certification unit will increase by 0.5 person-days. The review conclusions are divided into three situations: on-site inspection can be carried out if the requirements are met, basic compliance needs to be supplemented and improved, and on-site inspection cannot be carried out if the requirements are not met.
• Initial factory inspection: including factory assurance ability inspection, product consistency inspection and compliance verification of green evaluation requirements. The number of on-site inspection person-days is determined according to the size of the enterprise: no less than 5 person-days for 100 people and below, no less than 6 person-days for 101 to 499 people, and no less than 7 person-days for 500 people and above.
• Product sampling inspection: The laboratory with CMA qualification shall be determined by the certification body to complete the sampling inspection. The inspection items, technical requirements, sampling methods, etc. shall comply with the implementation rules and green building materials evaluation standards. Inspection reports that meet the requirements issued by laboratories with CMA qualifications in the past 12 months can be accepted.
• Evaluation and approval of certification results: After the data technical review, on-site inspection and product sampling inspection are passed, the certification body conducts a comprehensive evaluation, approves the certification decision and issues certificates.
• Supervision after certification: Supervision is arranged for the enterprise 6 months after it is certified, and the interval between each supervision shall not exceed 1 year. The supervision content includes supervision and inspection of factory assurance capabilities, product consistency supervision and inspection, continuous compliance verification of green evaluation requirements, and product supervision and inspection.

Certification value

• enhances product market competitiveness: Green building materials product certification is a voluntary product certification promoted by the country. Certified products can be prioritized for procurement and application in government procurement, key projects, municipal public projects and other projects. The "Notice of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Government Procurement Supporting Green Building Materials to Promote Pilot Work of Improving Building Quality" clearly requires government procurement projects to give priority to purchasing green building materials.
• Enjoy policy support and financial subsidies: Many provinces and cities provide financial incentives or financial support to enterprises that have passed the certification of green building materials products. Foshan City, Guangzhou City, Shenzhen City, Shaoguan City, Nanjing City, Huzhou City, Ningbo City, Rui 'an City and other cities have introduced incentive or subsidy policies-3 for green building materials certified enterprises. At the same time, you can enjoy preferential financial services and tax policy support.
• Promote green transformation of enterprises: The certification process encourages enterprises to adopt environmentally friendly technologies, improve product environmental performance, reduce energy consumption and waste emissions, and achieve clean production and sustainable development.
• Meet the needs of green buildings: With the implementation of the "Green Building Evaluation Standards"(GB/T 50378-2019) and the advancement of green building creation actions, the requirements for the application of green building materials in new urban buildings have been continuously increased, and certified products have become easier to enter the green building market.
• Establish an image of corporate social responsibility: Certification can prove the company's commitments and actions in resource conservation and environmental protection, enhance customer trust, enhance brand reputation, and meet consumers 'consumption upgrade needs for healthy living.
• Responding to the requirements of the dual-carbon strategy: Against the background of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, energy and construction have become the main force in implementing the dual-carbon goals. Green building materials product certification requires companies to provide carbon footprint reports, which will help companies respond to carbon emission control requirements and plan low-carbon development in advance.

Applicable product scope

This certification is applicable to the evaluation of green building materials for concrete water reducers, specifically including:

• ordinary water reducers: an admixture that can reduce the amount of water used for mixing under the conditions of basically the same concrete slump.
• Superplasticizer: An admixture that can greatly reduce the amount of water used for mixing.
• High-performance water reducing agent: A water reducing agent that has higher water reducing rate, better slump retention performance, less drying shrinkage, and certain air-entraining performance than superplasticizer.