The economic impact of photocatalytic concrete in an urban industrial setting

Photocatalytic concrete is an innovative advancement in material science which enables a pho-tocatalytic process that reduces airborne pollutants such as SOx, PM10, VOCs, and NOx. This research is to analyze the true cost of photocatalytic concrete infrastructure located in a highly industrialized urban city utilizing life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA). Hamilton is an industrial city located in Ontario, Canada known for its steel mills and extensive highway system. This study examines the economic feasibility of constructing pho-tocatalytic concrete safety median dividers in comparison to conventionally designed concrete barriers. The LCCA captures the valuation of the NOx that is broken down by the photocatalytic processes and also the NOx emissions during manufacture. The results show that there is not a strong economic incentive to utilize photocatalytic concrete. However if the abatement of pollutants other than NOx can be quantified it would help to lower the overall life-cycle cost of the barriers.