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Concrete
with or without SCMs or blended cement is
a responsible construction material for your
next project. |
Concrete and the Use
of SCMs
Although the embodied energy associated with concrete is
already low, Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs)
can further reduce its embodied energy. When used
judiciously, SCMs can enhance long-term concrete
properties as well. To ensure desired performance, the
substitution of fly ash for more than 30% and slag
cement for more than 35% of the Portland cement in
concrete should be considered a high volume SCM
application and its suitability for intended use should
be pre-qualified.
Concrete and the Use
of Blended Cements
Although it is most common to make use of supplementary
cementing materials (SCM) in the replacement of cement
in the concrete mixture, blended cement is produced at
the grinding stage of cement production where fly ash,
blast furnace slag or silica fume are added to the
cement itself. The advantages include expanded
production capacity, reduced CO2 emissions,
reduced fuel consumption and close monitoring of the
quality of SCMs.
Green Buildings
Rating Systems
All green building rating systems promote the
construction of better buildings – better for the
environment, better for the owner and better for the
occupant.
While these rating
systems are in an evolutionary stage, they attempt to
consider as many relevant factors as possible. However,
many fundamental factors such as durability have yet to
be incorporated into these building rating systems.
These factors can significantly influence a building’s
environmental evaluation and should be incorporated at
the building design phase.
Concrete can be used in
combination with a wide variety of other building
materials to earn your desired level of certification.
LEEDTM
and Concrete
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDTM)
measurement system is rapidly being adopted as a green
building design and rating tool by both the
architectural and engineering communities in Canada.
Concrete solutions can contribute over 20 points toward
your desired level of LEED certification.
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