GreenMag E-news
January 2010
Houses can be built of concrete, as can their walls. Roofs can be topped with concrete tiles, and concrete can be used in landscaping. Concrete can be used for countertops, sinks, And it all can be green.
Concrete wall systems include cast-in-place, precast panels, concrete blocks, and insulating concrete forms (ICFs). Concrete is pumped between two layers of polystyrene foam in ICF walls, and process offers great insulating values and airtightness.
Concrete tiles can be used on roofs and have a life span of 50 years or longer. Tiles that are replaced can be recycled. Concrete roof tiles can reduce home heating and cooling costs and can help maintain constant indoor air temperatures. The tiles are noncombustible, and they are available in a variety of styles.
Concrete options for the exterior include traditional stucco, or Portland cement plaster, a stampable concrete overlay, a lightweight polymer-modified decorative wall system that can look like natural stone, or a cement-based clapboard siding. Concrete offers many sustainable features for exteriors, including low maintenance and fire resistance.
For landscaping, concrete can be used in sidewalks, driveways, and backyard patios. Concrete pavers can be made locally and in quantities for particular projects, which make them very resource-efficient. They eliminate the need for regular maintenance and solvent-based wood stains and sealers. A pervious concrete driveway allows rainwater to percolate into the soil. Options include permeable concrete pavers or cast-in-place pervious concrete. You can add color to the concrete before it’s place or use a water-based concrete stain spray after installation.
Concrete also can be used on interior floors, countertops, sinks and fireplaces, and the possibilities for colors, textures, patterns, overlays, stamps, and saw cuts are expanding every day.
Find out everything you ever wanted to know about concrete at the Concrete Network.
Just a few LINKS:
• Benefits of Living in an ICF Home
• Find distributors of ICF wall systems
• Sources for concrete roof tiles: Hanson Roof Tile and Eagle Roofing Products
• Exterior finishes: stampable concrete overlay, James Hardie Building Products
• The environmental benefits of pervious concrete
• Precast permeable concrete pavers
• Interior floors
http://greenmagonline.com/newsletters/jan10/muliple-uses-concrete.html
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