Environment
Protecting Our Environment Concrete Is Full Of Green Surprises
By
Aug 14, 2005, 23:00

(NAPSI)-Bridges, parking lots, buildings and sidewalks. Because durability, strength and versatility are important, you'd expect that these structures are often built of concrete. However, did you know that concrete has many positive environmental surprises?

As "green" building practices continue to gain popularity, so does the use of concrete, according to the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA). Because of its sustainable, stable, energy-efficient, recyclable and health-friendly properties, concrete is an ideal green-building choice.


Concrete's main ingredient is cement, which is made from one of the most abundantly available materials on earth: limestone. However, concrete can also be made with fly ash, slag and silica fume- all waste by-products from power plants and manufacturing facilities that would otherwise clog landfills. By comparison, it can easily take 50 trees or more to build a single-family, wood-framed home.


One of the most widely used building products since Roman times, concrete results in durable, long-lasting structures that are not susceptible to rusting, rotting or burning, and that stand up to the strongest weather. This stability lengthens the life span - often double or triple that of other common building materials. Many Roman structures, including the Pantheon and Coliseum, are still going strong!


Because of concrete's high thermal mass, it is by nature more energy efficient. Structures built with concrete walls, foundations and floors are able to take advantage of concrete's ability to absorb and retain heat. This saves homeowners on their heating and cooling bills. Concrete paving, with its light color, is also cooler in summer, providing outdoor comfort and a reduction in the harmful "heat island" effect in cities.


Using concrete has inherent health benefits as well. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors. However, unlike concrete, many home products consist of materials that are constantly emitting harmful particles into our indoor environments, creating air that is 20 to 30 times more toxic than outdoor air, according to Angela Dean, author of "Green By Design."


Concrete can be used in foundations, walls and roofs of new homes and renovation. In fact, concrete walls allow about one-sixth as much noise to pass through them when compared with an ordinary wood-framed wall. Concrete can also be used for floors, exterior finishes and even for countertops.


From the foundation, walls and roofs of homes to roadways, bridges, sidewalks and patios, the green surprises with concrete just keep growing. For more information on the many uses of concrete, visit www.nrmca.org.


[Did You Know?

One of the most widely used building products since Roman times, concrete results in durable, long-lasting structures that are not susceptible to rusting, rotting or burning, and that stand up to the strongest weather. To learn more, visit www.nrmca.org.]
[Pervious concrete, a type of concrete that allows water to pass through the material, returns rain to the watershed rather than allowing it to carry accumulated pollutants in waterways.]

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