Top Reasons to Go Green with Concrete
Floors:
Building homes that are green and
environmentally friendly has become the mantra for more and more
builders and homeowners, as they discover how easy it can be to
attain all the benefits of sustainable construction without
sacrificing aesthetics or breaking the budget. In fact, going green
often saves money, especially over time, while being kinder to
planet Earth.
Decorative concrete flooring is a perfect
example of this synergy of beauty, sustainability and economy,
giving you a durable, low-maintenance floor that will last the life
of your home. Concrete floors, when left exposed, conserve resources
by functioning both as a foundation slab and finished floor. This
eliminates the need for carpeting and other floor coverings that
would eventually require replacement. In addition to conserving
materials, concrete flooring offers many other environmental
benefits, such as contributing to better energy efficiency and
improving indoor air quality. The topics listed above are the most
compelling reasons to go green with decorative concrete
floors.
In response to growing environmental and
economic forces,
architects, engineers, developers and owners are
seeking efficient and
innovative building solutions that conserve
non-renewable resources.
Increasingly, concrete is being recognized for
its strong environmental
benefits in support of creative and effective
sustainable development.
When considering the lifetime environmental
impact of a building
material – extraction, production, construction,
operation, demolition
and recycling – concrete is an excellent choice
to meet these goals.
Green facts about
concrete
- Concrete is produced locally
from abundant natural resources.
- Concrete can be made with
reclaimed industrial materials that would otherwise burden landfills.
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At the end of a concrete building
or pavement’s usable life,concrete can be recycled.
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Pervious concrete percolates stormwater
into soil, recharging aquifers and preventing polluted runoff from
overwhelming streams and
lakes.
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Concrete’s thermal mass reduces
temperature swings in buildings and conserves energy.
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Use of Insulating Concrete Form for
above-grade wall systems provides for increased R values, reducing
heating, cooling and infrastructure costs.
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Concrete’s light color reduces the heat
island effect, lowering urban energy use.
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Concrete’s light color reflects
more light at night, reducing lighting infrastructure and energy
costs.
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Impervious concrete roofs support green
landscaping, reducing water
runoff and reducing heat island effect.
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Concrete structures are
durable.
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Concrete helps achieve LEED
certification.
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