Built Green
Can't you see the headlines? Concrete saves the planet!
More on how concrete will help fight air pollution and global warming below, but first.....
Concrete: Meeting today’s needs without compromising the future. In response to growing environmental and economic forces, architects, engineers, developers and owners are seeking efficient, innovative building solutions that conserve non-renewable resources. Increasingly, concrete is being recognized for its strong environmental benefits in support of creative and effective sustainable development. When considering the lifetime environmental impact of a building material (extraction, production, construction, operation, repair, demolition and recycling ) concrete is an excellent choice to meet these goals.
Thanks to advanced technology, Manicured Concrete creates interior flooring that is easy on the environment by reducing our carbon footprint. Concrete flooring not only cuts out emmissions from manufacutring other types of flooring and shipping it around the world, but the super long life of your floor will save space in the landfill by not having to throw away worn out floor coverings year after year.
Manicured Concrete can also extend the life of your existing concrete by restoring deteriorated concrete surfaces and then protecting them from harsh elements and wear and tear. Besides all the mess, hassel, and added expense of tearing out old concrete, you generally still end up with plain, unprotected concrete. The fact that the finished product is a beautiful addition to any property is just one more reason to resurface instead of replace.
Here are a few more ways concrete helps our planet:
- Concrete flooring is hypo-allergenic.
- At the end of a concrete building or pavement’s usable life, it can usually be resurfaced, and if not, it can be recycled.
- Concrete is produced locally from abundant natural resources.
- Concrete can be made with reclaimed industrial materials that would otherwise burden landfills.
- Recycled materials in concrete reduce CO2 emissions.
- Pervious concrete percolates stormwater into soil, recharging aquifers and preventing polluted runoff from overwhelming streams and lakes.
- Concrete’s thermal mass reduces temperature swings in buildings and conserves energy.
- Use of Insulating Concrete Form for above-grade wall systems provides for increased R values, reducing heating, cooling and infrastructure costs.
- Concrete’s light color reduces the heat island effect, lowering urban energy use.
- Concrete’s light color reflects more light at night, reducing lighting infrastructure and energy costs.
- Impervious concrete roofs support green landscaping, reducing water runoff and reducing heat island effect.
- Concrete structures are durable.
- Concrete helps achieve LEED certification.
Making concrete greener can be as simple as extending the life of your concrete, making it more durable and lightweight and incorporating more recycled materials. All those things contribute, and a lot of these small steps add up to a large step.
Now, more about how concrete is going to help save the planet. Did you know concrete can even act as an air purifier.
Photocatalytic concrete may help save the planet and will certainly lead to cleaner buildings and cleaner air. This special type of cement is already being used around the world and recently in the U.S. and has the unique abilities to clean itself and reduce air pollution. That's right. I said it cleans itself and purifies the air we breath.
How is this possible? A natural phenomenon in which a substance, the photocatalytic principle, utilizes light to alter the speed of a chemical reaction. By taking advantage of the energy of light, the principle will accelerate the formation of strong oxidizing reagents which will result in the decomposition of organic and inorganic pollutants. These pollutants are responsible for gathering on the surface of concrete causing discoloration, as well as many health related issues.
Photocatalysis is an accelerator of an oxidation process that already exists in nature. It promotes faster decomposition of pollutants and prevents them from accumulating.
Self-Cleaning: Compounds diminished or eliminated
- Soot, Grime, and Organic Particulates
- Mold, Mildew, Fungus, and Their Spores
- Algae, Bacteria, and Allergens
- Tobacco Smoke and Stains
De-polluting: Proven to reduce the following air pollutants
- Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) - Major component in the formation of acid rain, ground level ozone (smog), certain toxic chemicals, and water quality deterioration.
- Sulfer Oxides (SOx) - Component to acid rain and the formation of many harmful sulfates and other products.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's) - such as benzene and toluene.
- Ammonia - NH3
- Carbon Monoxide
- Organic chlorides, aledehydes, polycondensated aromatics, among others.
Photocatalytic concrete will resist most organic and inorganic pollutants that gather on the surface causing discoloration. In addition to the cleaning effect, this product will also remove significant amounts of enviromental pollutants deemed harmful to human heath. Most of which will be rinsed away naturally with rain.
The future is here. Google It.
