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Foundation for a Sustainable Future: Concrete Innovates
Developments in material and techniques keep concrete a leader in green building movement.

The design world today is faced with myriad choices when it comes to sustainable design and construction. “Green” materials and techniques are no longer a novelty—they are practically ubiquitous, present in every stage of design, construction, operation and maintenance. Big business is embracing green building, governmental bodies are rewarding sustainable efforts, and individuals across the globe are making everyday decisions about materials and methods that will impact generations to come.

Photo by Erin O'Boyle Photographics

It makes sense, then, that forward thinkers in design and construction are re-connecting with concrete. The most widely used construction material on earth, concrete has the longest lifespan of any traditional building material, used to create structures that still stand after more than 2,000 years.

Buildings and homes constructed with high-performance concrete wall systems offer excellent energy efficiency, guarding against daily temperature fluctuations and providing occupants with greater comfort and lower heating and cooling bills. The reflectivity of light-colored concrete in paving and sidewalks helps reduce the urban heat island effect, reducing the potential for smog and cutting costs for air conditioning.

Because concrete is designed for each specific project, there is very little waste, and the material enjoys unlimited flexibility in applications ranging from high-rises to parking lots, bridges to stadiums. And when a concrete structure has served its purpose, the material can be crushed and recycled for other functions.

Concrete may be our oldest building material, but modern innovations in technology and technique keep it at the forefront of sustainable design and construction. Today, the cement industry is taking great steps to improve the efficiency of its manufacturing process, bringing sustainability to the source of concrete materials. The environmental future of concrete is solid.

High Performance Building Requirements for Sustainability

LEED-certified NAR Building in Washington DC To help local governments and Federal agencies develop and implement green building codes, PCA has developed High Performance Building Requirements for Sustainability, a sample ordinance written in mandatory language that amends and appends the International Code Council International Building Code (IBC) to address high performance and sustainable buildings.

The requirements include the concepts in most other sustainability or green standards that are within the purview of the building code department while enhancing disaster resistance and setting more stringent durability requirements.

PCA has aligned the provisions with the concepts of both the Whole Building Design Guide (wbdg.org) and High Performance Building Council. Enacting and enforcing these provisions provides the basis for designers and owners to obtain certification as a US Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for New Construction (LEED-NC).

The ordinance is organized by chapter and section consistent with the IBC format and is intentionally limited to issues typically within the purview of the building code and zoning and land use officials. There are no requirements for sole source certification or fees that increase the initial project design cost.

Major features of the provisions are:

Requires a design service life plan.
Mandatory to use the ICC International Wildland-Urban Interface Code.
High performance fire safety provisions include mandatory sprinkler requirements, structural fire resistance required for all buildings, and incorporates redundant fire safety requirements (notable changes apply to residential and assisted living facilities due to the aging population)
Scoping provisions for storm shelters are provided for ICC/NSSA -500 Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters.
Limitations on indoor materials for volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Enhanced indoor air quality with provisions for air filtering systems, carbon dioxide detection, and recreational smoking.
Improved occupant productivity and comfort with noise control provisions.
Improved energy performance by exceeding the International Energy Conservation Code by 20% and additional requirements for daylighting, fenestration, and air barriers.
Solar reflectance indices for opaque walls and roofs to minimize internal heat gain and heat island effects.
Increased design wind pressure and design force by 20% for most buildings (there is only a 5% increase for critical infrastructure buildings that already have more stringent requirements)
Flood resistance is increased to be at least three feet above base flood elevation or five hundred year flood elevation if known and does not permit consideration of flood protective works such as dams, levees, flood waters, etc.
Building water use reduction requirements.
Material resource requirements recycling, construction waste, material transportation, and pollution prevention.
Requirements for site development and site improvements.