Sensible Concrete Works is as concerned as you are about preserving our environment and using our planet’s resources as responsibly as possible. Believe it or not; that goal can conscientiously be achieved by using “green” concrete when building your residential home.
Building green with concrete or Building “green” is becoming more popular as attention to sustainable construction is being sought after these days. Green concrete is an environmentally friendly product that minimizes the carbon footprint of cement production without compromising the strength or beauty of your home. The process of making “green” concrete is similar to traditional concrete, but the newer “greener” concrete doesn’t deplete our natural resources,
So, Just WHAT IS “Green” Concrete?
Traditional concrete is a mixture of aggregate materials (recycled concrete or gravel) and cement sand. Cement sand is a controlled chemical mixture of minerals like iron, silicon, calcium, and aluminum. All this involves mining, transporting, and processing these materials, and can consume vast amounts of resources and energy during production.
However, “green” concrete substitutes a portion of that cement sand with more eco-friendly materials that are usually industrial and manufacturing by-products from quarries, power plants, foundries, and even food mills that would normally end up in a landfill. Such materials include fly ash from coal power plants, fiberglass and waste glass, burnt clay, sawdust, foundry sand, granulated blast slag or slag cement from steel mills.
And there are other benefits of green concrete over traditional concrete.
*Fewer Emissions
Green concrete lowers carbon dioxide emissions as it does not require as much heat during its production, releasing up to 80% less carbon dioxide.
*Less Energy Use
Since industrial by-products are present in green cement, the energy needed in production is greatly reduced. Additionally, it withstands temperature fluctuations and hence decreases costs related to both heating and cooling.
*Uses Recyclable Materials
Green concrete makes use of industrial waste such as fly ash, silica fume, and blast furnace slag that ordinarily requires several acres of land to dispose of. As a result, it protects land from becoming a dumping ground and ultimately being destroyed.
In addition, green concrete used in your residential home can better withstand high temperatures from fire, and better resists corrosion from salts and pollution. Want greater control over heating and cooling costs? Green concrete boosts the thermal insulation of a structure, too!
So, if you are ready to learn more about green concrete, Sensible Concrete Works is ready to discuss it with you! We can guide you on this and other building solution options for your residential home concrete needs. Give us a call! We also give free, on-site estimates!