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Concrete's thermal mass can contribute to
a building's energy efficiency by reducing interior temperature
swings, thereby reducing the size of heating and cooling equipment. It
can incorporate recycled material like fly ash and blast furnace slag.
And, it's mold-proof and does not off-gas toxic substances.
How Green Is
Concrete?
Five green
material questions about concrete, one of the most common building
materials.
1. Where does concrete come from? Concrete is natural, made of sand,
Portland cement, stone and water.
Verdict: Good
2. How is concrete delivered and installed? Concrete can be made
locally or even right on the job site. The sand and water are local,
but the
Portland cement and some rock have to be shipped long
distances.
Verdict: FAIR
3. How is concrete maintained and operated? Concrete is durable, can
be left unpainted and is virtually maintenance free.
Verdict: Good
4. How healthy is concrete? Concrete is inert and does not release any
harmful chemicals. Verdict: Good
5. What do we do with concrete once we’re done with it? Technically
recyclable, concrete could potentially be reused, though this doesn’t
happen as often as it should. Verdict: Fair
A three 12' x 20' section float built at the
CFS facility for the City of Portland. Project commissioned to
accommodate the launches of the Vessel the Queen Mary 2 as well as
other visiting cruise ships.
Prior to
launch, the three completed floats are shown decked with
CorrectDeck® decking.
A 5' x 50' ADA compliant gangway attached to the floats after
they were placed in the water.
(click photo to enlarge)
A launch ties up at the floats.
(click photo to enlarge)
A view of
the floats in early construction phase showing structure and
hardware.
Concrete is strong. And concrete reinforced with steel can handle the worst
abuse. We build bomb shelters and prisons with concrete. It doesn't
rot, even under water or in soil. It can be molded into nearly any
shape imaginable.
Natural/Nontoxic: is grown or collected from natural
sources instead of mixed from synthetic chemicals
Low
Embodied Energy: doesn’t require large amounts of energy to
manufacture, gather or transport, so it’s relatively non-polluting
Sustainably Harvested: gathered without compromising the
health of the source
Recyclable/Biodegradable: can be made into new products or
fed back into the earth
Recycled
Content: contains a high percentage of materials that used
to be something else
Locally
Harvested: didn’t travel more than 500 miles to reach you
Durable:
built to last, doesn’t require ongoing maintenance
Before buying or building, check out these resources:
Energy Star: Energy-efficiency guidelines are
set by the U.S. Department of Energy for appliances, heating and
cooling systems, lighting, roof products, windows, and doors.
www.EnergyStar.gov
Forest Stewardship Council: Sets standards for
responsible forest management and certifies products from specific
woodlands.
www.FSC.org
Greenguard Indoor Air Quality: Approves
products with low-VOC emissions including adhesives, appliances,
ceiling, flooring, insulation, paint and wall coverings.
www.GreenGuard.org
Green Seal: Maintains environmental standards
for many products, including paints, cleaners, windows,
alternative-fuel vehicles and paper.
www.GreenSeal.org
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design): The U.S. Green Building Council rates buildings, including
homes, in categories such as water conservation, energy, materials
and indoor air quality. The number of points awarded determines the
building’s green level: certified, silver, gold or platinum. LEED
certification applies to entire structures, not individual materials
or products. Many manufacturers claim their product earns LEED
points, but specific products only help a building qualify for those
points.
www.USGBC.org
Scientific Certification Systems: Certifies
environmentally preferable products and services such as adhesives,
sealants, cabinetry, carpet, doors, flooring and paints.
www.SCScertified.com
Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Certification: Sets
high standard for “environmentally intelligent” design, examining
the entire lifecycle of environmentally safe and healthy materials.
www.C2CCertified.com
