Sustainability is often defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. While other building materials may have to alter their configurations, properties, or both to be applicable to sustainable structures, precast concrete’s inherent properties make it a natural choice for achieving sustainability with today’s new buildings. In this paper, sustainability concepts are outlined and different rating systems for evaluating sustainable design are introduced. Finally, ways are provided in which precast concrete meets or exceeds one rating system’s requirements to achieve sustainability.
