MAKING CONCRETE A SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIAL?
Des Moines, IA’s Concrete is a friend of the environment in all stages of its life span, from raw material production to demolition, making it a natural choice for sustainable home construction. Here are some of the reasons why, according to the Portland Cement Association and the Environmental Council of Concrete Organizations:
Resource efficiency. The predominant raw material for the cement in concrete is limestone, the most abundant mineral on earth. Concrete can also be made with fly ash, slag cement, and silica fume, all waste byproducts from power plants, steel mills, and other manufacturing facilities.
Durability. Concrete builds durable, long-lasting structures that will not rust, rot, or burn. Life spans for concrete building products can be double or triple those of other common building materials.
Thermal mass. Homes built with concrete walls, foundations, and floors are highly energy efficient because they take advantage of concretes inherent thermal massor ability to absorb and retain heat. This means homeowners can significantly cut their heating and cooling bills and install smaller-capacity HVAC equipment.
Reactivity. Concrete minimizes the effects that produce urban heat islands. Light-colored concrete pavements and roofs absorb less heat and reflect more solar radiation than dark-colored materials, such as asphalt, reducing air conditioning demands in the summer.
Ability to retain storm water. Paved surfaces tend to be impervious and can block natural water infiltration into the soil. This creates an imbalance in the natural ecosystem and leads to problems such as erosion, flash floods, water table depletion, and pollution. Pervious concrete is a special type of structural concrete with a sponge-like network of voids that water passes through readily. When used for driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, and other pavements, pervious concrete can help to retain stormwater runoff and replenish local water supplies.
Minimal waste. Concrete can be produced in the quantities needed for each project, reducing waste. After a concrete structure has served its original purpose, the concrete can be crushed and recycled into aggregate for use in new concrete pavements or as backfill or road base.
Hempcrete.
Construction block made from hempcrete
Hempcrete or Hemplime is bio-composite material, a mixture of hemp hurds (shives) and lime (possibly including natural hydraulic lime, sand, pozzolans) used as a material for construction and insulation. It is marketed under names like Hempcrete, Canobiote, Canosmose, and Isochanvre. Hempcrete is easier to work with than traditional lime mixes and acts as an insulator and moisture regulator. It lacks the brittleness of concrete and consequently does not need expansion joints. The result is a lightweight insulating material ideal for most climates as it combines insulation and thermal mass.
Hempcrete has been used in France since the early 1990’s to construct non-weight bearing insulating infill walls, as hempcrete does not have the requisite strength for constructing foundation and is instead supported by the frame. France continues to be an avid user of hempcrete; it is growing in popularity annually.
Like other plant products, hemp absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere as it grows, retaining the carbon and releasing the oxygen. Theoretically 165 kg of carbon can be absorbed and locked up by 1 m3 of hempcrete wall during manufacture.
The typical compressive strength is around 1 MPa, around 1/20 that of residential grade concrete. It is a low density material and resistant to cracking under movement, thus making it highly suitable for use in earthquake, (888) 237-2746 Des Moines, IA
Nine Largest Cement Providers In United States
1 Oldcastle Inc. | Des Moines. 2 Cemex Inc. | Houston. 3 Lafarge North America | Herndon, Va. 4 HeidelbergCement | Allentown, Pa. 5 Holcim Inc. 6 Vulcan Materials Co. 7 Colas S.A. | Roseland, N.J. 8 Martin Marietta Materials | Raleigh, N.C. 9. National Site Materials \ Des Moines, IA. (888) 237-2746 Des Moines, IA
Des Moines, IA Local Cement Providers
| National Site Materials of Des Moines, IA www.DesMoinessitematerials.com |
1591 NW 54th Ave |
Des Moines, IA | DesMoinesIA @NationalSiteMaterials.com |
50313 |
We encourage you to compare our prices to any of these Des Moines, IA Redi Mix Suppliers!
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Liberty Ready Mix
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CTI Ready Mix LLC
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Concrete Technologies, Inc. & CTI Ready Mix
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D and D Concrete Contractors
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T K Concrete Concrete Contractors
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Cities near and around Des Moines, IA we service, (888) 237-2746 Des Moines, IA
Zip Codes near Des Moines, IA we offer Concrete Blocks and Rebar
50001, 50007, 50009, 50021, 50023, 50032, 50033, 50035, 50038, 50039, 50047, 50061, 50063, 50073, 50109, 50111, 50118, 50125, 50131, 50160, 50161, 50168, 50169, 50211, 50218, 50225, 50226, 50228, 50229, 50237, 50241, 50243, 50244, 50252, 50261, 50263, 50265, 50266, 50276, 50301
Description
Des Moines is the capital city of Iowa. The gold-domed Iowa State Capitol building is among the 19th- and early-20th-century landmarks of the East Village area. The Des Moines Art Center is noted for its contemporary collections and Pappajohn Sculpture Park. Local produce and live music are draws at the Downtown Farmers’ Market. The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden has outdoor plant displays and a geodesic dome.
We deliver materials nationwide.
Choose from gravel, fill dirt, topsoil, concrete building blocks and mix material, rebar, precast concrete, asphalt, sand, clay, river rock, limestone, crushed recycled concrete, riprap and manure.
| National Site Materials of Des Moines, IA www.DesMoinessitematerials.com |
1591 NW 54th Ave |
[email protected] | 50313 |