Concrete is often seen as an unsustainable material because of how it’s made. A key ingredient in concrete is cement and producing cement releases a large amount of carbon dioxide. Cement production is responsible for around seven percent of global CO emissions.
The Impact of Traditional Concrete
The carbon dioxide released during cement production traps heat in the atmosphere and leads to global warming. Concrete also relies on non-renewable resources because coal and natural gas are used to heat cement to high temperatures and transporting concrete requires heavy vehicles that create emissions. Water use is another issue. The concrete industry uses huge amounts of water, with estimates suggesting it takes up almost ten percent of the world’s industrial water supply. This puts pressure on water sources and increases energy use because water must be transported. Even though concrete buildings last a long time, the high carbon cost of making the material still outweighs these benefits, including for projects like concrete Forest of Dean.
The UK government has explained how construction can cut emissions.
Why concrete can still be sustainable
Concrete delivery, like the examples seen here, www.monstermixconcrete.co.uk/concrete-forest-of-dean/, isn’t always a bad choice. New low-carbon concrete options are now available and designed to reduce environmental impact. These mixes use cleaner fuels, lower amounts of cement and sometimes carbon-capture systems in factories.
Traditional concrete has environmental problems, mainly due to high carbon emissions, heavy resource use and water consumption. However, with the introduction of cleaner methods, concrete can still be a strong and sustainable option for modern construction today.
