Going green has been the cool thing to do in recent years for companies in all industries. Sustainability has been a growing discussion topic all over the world as we try to figure out new ways of adapting to limited resources. Although a lot of focus is placed on gasoline, electricity and carbon-based fuels, advances in construction materials have been going a long way to promote the interests of energy conservation.
The University of Calgary recently opened a brand new facility, the Energy Environment Experiential Learning (EEEL) building, one of North America’s most sustainable laboratory facilities. This building has the honor of being presented with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification, one of the highest distinctions in green building technologies.
Much of this design success can be directly attributed to the advanced concrete technologies used to construct the building. Constructors used concrete formulated with an advanced treatment called Penetron Admix, which waterproofs the concrete. This is especially important in a laboratory facility, where managers do not want dangerous chemicals to stain the floor if spilled. Most of the EEEL building is constructed using this concrete formula.
Concrete also helps conserve energy in many ways through the EEEL, which uses up about 78 percent less energy than a laboratory facility of a similar size would. Underground tubes composed of the Penetron concrete help move air into the building for heating and cooling. The waterproof concrete also provides for cleaner storage of rainwater and recycled water used throughout the building’s plumbing.
Waterproof building materials have seemed like strange ideas in the past, but the benefits are undeniable. Concrete can allow for plenty of technological applications that can be mixed into the formula, making it a great choice as a superior building material for the future. With our finger on the pulse of the industry, Bergen Mobile Concrete can make sure to provide the latest in high-quality concrete for construction projects all over northern New Jersey.
*Image courtesy of Rathachai Namman