What exactly is sustainable concrete? Let us define it first. As its name implies, sustainable concrete is created with the help of recycle and reuse of waste concrete. In other words, one builds a house with sustainable concrete in mind and even recycles the waste concrete back into its original form. Hence, we come to know that sustainable concrete is eco-friendly and more importantly more earth friendly than its counterparts. Let us see in detail how this concept works.
Sustainable concrete is simply building material that uses recycled cement instead of raw cement for the purpose of construction. Since recycled cement contains no emissions of heat, acid or Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), it is termed as sustainable cement. However, it must be noted that there are a number of ways in which the cement can be used for construction purposes without comprising any of the mentioned chemicals mentioned above. Hence, it is important to take into consideration the life cycle of the concrete, i.e.
One popular way of making sustainable concrete is by mixing lime and fly ash together and adding some amount of boron. The resultant mixture is then blended with cement and allowed to dry for some time. The resulting material is then used for the purpose of constructing the building.
Another way in which this type of concrete is constructed is by using carbon to allow the solid cement to expand and be moulded into the desired shape and size. The main advantage of using carbon based compounds is that they contain a large amount of carbon. As such, the amount of fossil fuel needed to produce cement of the desired consistency and strength are reduced significantly. This translates into considerable saving of the earth’s valuable resources.
Apart, from being an environment friendly option, another benefit of using this kind of construction is its contribution to the reduction of carbon emission released into the atmosphere. At present, the world is facing an unprecedented environmental disaster brought about by the buildup of carbon emission in the atmosphere. This problem is aggravating global warming, which can prove to be disastrous in the future. To combat the problem of CO2 emission and the effects it has on the environment, concrete construction is extensively used as it is highly resistant to carbon emission.
It therefore follows that any responsible concrete industry should include sustainable development of their products. It would be helpful if the concrete industry learns how to better utilize raw materials such as recycled materials to provide better quality and more durable infrastructure. In addition to this, the industry should also be made aware of the fact that they have a role to play in promoting sustainable development. By doing so, concrete businesses can contribute significantly to the sustainability of the human habitat and the ecosystem as a whole.