The construction industry is responsible for over a tenth of the world’s man-made carbon emissions, with concrete being the biggest culprit. How can we continue to build, without it costing the earth?
Tag Archives: concrete
The Indian river being hollowed by mining for concrete
The monetary value of riverbed material was realised as the world moved towards concrete construction. Pathak says, “As the country moved towards urbanisation, demand for the RBM [riverbed material] for construction activities exploded.”
Source: The Indian river being hollowed by mining for concrete
Concrete Doesn’t Have to Be an Ecological Nightmare
Clockwise from upper left: the Pantheon in Rome; Boston City Hall; Saarinen’s TWA terminal at JFK airport; Zaha Hadid’s Sheikh Zayed Bridge in Dubai. Photo: Getty Images
Today, cooking one ton of cement yields nearly a ton of CO2, and concrete plants pump out nearly 8 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. Since an ever-growing population can’t wean itself from its primary building material, warding off climate change is going to require a cleaner way to make it.
Reversible Concrete: 3D Printing for Easy Deconstruction & Reuse | Urbanist
Effectively any shape is possible thanks to the 3D printing process, while the results are strong and durable, relying on the physics of jamming and collective strength of composited stones. The reversibility of the process makes this a far more eco-friendly way to build rigid structures from durable materials that still dismantle on demand.
via Reversible Concrete: 3D Printing for Easy Deconstruction & Reuse | Urbanist.
2 waste removal companies targeted in state crackdown | Boston Herald
BOSTON — A Billerica waste hauling company has paid $62,500 to settle claims that it illegally dumped construction and demolition waste at an unauthorized site in Methuen.The attorney general says W.L. French Excavating Corp. violated Massachusetts state law by dumping 29 loads of waste, including concrete, bricks and asphalt.
via 2 waste removal companies targeted in state crackdown | Boston Herald.
The concrete industry digs up 3 tons of rock per year for every person on Earth : TreeHugger
Ugo Bardi: But what’s impressive is the growth of “construction minerals” which stands for sand, rock, cement and the like…. Think about that: 25 billion tons per year corresponds to more than three tons per person. Think of a ten kg cube [22 lbs] of rock and cement delivered to you and deposited in front of your door every morning, every day of the year.
via The concrete industry digs up 3 tons of rock per year for every person on Earth : TreeHugger.