Green Concrete: Decarbonizing Construction with Recycled Glass
- 08 MAY 2024
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- Climate Rising
The first of a series on decarbonizing the roots of value chains, where we’re looking
deep into supply chains that serve many industries, this episode focuses on concrete.
Concrete is one of the world’s most popular materials, and it accounts for nearly
8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, most of which comes from cement– the glue
that binds conventional forms of concrete. We focus on one type of green concrete
produced by Urban Mining Industries that replaces half of the cement with recycled
glass that makes its product much less carbon intensive. We present this story through
an episode of the HBR Cold Call podcast, where host Brian Kenny interviews HBS professors
Shirley Lu and Bob Kaplan. They discuss how Harvard is pilot testing the use of green
concrete in its current construction projects as part of the university’s efforts
to reduce its carbon footprint. They’ll also discuss various methods to measure carbon
emissions, including the e-liability approach Bob Kaplan lays out in a recent Harvard
Business Review article.
The first of a series on decarbonizing the roots of value chains, where we’re looking
deep into supply chains that serve many industries, this episode focuses on concrete.
Concrete is one of the world’s most popular materials, and it accounts for nearly
8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, most of which comes from cement– the glue
that binds conventional forms of concrete. We focus on one type of green concrete
produced by Urban Mining Industries that replaces half of the cement with recycled
glass that makes its product much less carbon intensive. We present this story through
an episode of the HBR Cold Call podcast, where host Brian Kenny interviews HBS professors
Shirley Lu and Bob Kaplan. They discuss how Harvard is pilot testing the use of green
concrete in its current construction projects as part of the university’s efforts
to reduce its carbon footprint. They’ll also discuss various methods to measure carbon
emissions, including the e-liability approach Bob Kaplan lays out in a recent Harvard
Business Review article.
Florida’s Home Insurance Industry May Be Worse Than Anyone Realizes
Re: Ishita Sen
- 24 Apr 2024
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- Bloomberg
Getting to Net Zero: The Climate Standards and Ecosystem the World Needs Now
Re: Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Shirley Lu & Robert Kaplan
- 23 Apr 2024
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- HBS Working Knowledge
'The Wheels on the Bus' Go Electric: Highland Electric Fleets and Partners
- APRIL 2024
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- Teaching Material
Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 324-107. Founder Duncan McIntyre developed an innovative service-based business to electrify transportation fleets for school districts and scale through public-private partnerships while contributing to climate change solutions. The case covers the rationale for electric school buses, the leadership of its founder, its growth from one customer to many over five years, and relationships with multiple stakeholders in a complex system. Highland Electric Fleets contracted with school districts in the U.S. and Canada to supply and service electric school buses, offering to lower costs for the districts, even those who were not climate action supporters. Ancillary benefits included providing power back to the electric grid, reducing the use of fossil fuels and emission of greenhouse gases, and cleaner air for children. But just as McIntyre was envisioning expanding to electrify other transportation fleets, supply chain challenges leave McIntyre with the dilemma of how to deal with the possible defection of its largest customer because of buses failing to be delivered in time.
Seeds of Innovation: GALY’s Quest to Cultivate the Future of Agriculture in the Lab
- APRIL 2024
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- Teaching Material
This Teaching Plan for the case “Seeds of Innovation: GALY’s Quest to Cultivate the Future of Agriculture in the Lab,” HBS No. 124-017, and its related products, serves to help faculty deepen students’ comprehension of business issues and energize classroom discussion. GALY produced laboratory-grown cotton and debated how to scale, where to locate production, and which business model (owning versus licensing its IP) to pursue.
Getting to Net Zero: The Climate Standards and Ecosystem the World Needs Now
- 23 APR 2024
- |
- In Practice
What can companies and regulators do as climate predictions grow grimmer? They should measure impact, strengthen environmental institutions, and look to cities to lead, say Robert Kaplan, Shirley Lu, and Rosabeth Moss Kanter.
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