Challenging the Building Team
The manner in which buildings are constructed has changed very little and sustainable development challenges the design and construction industry to create buildings that acknowledge the life cycle of a building. Recognizing that operating a building over time is far more energy intensive than constructing it, demand for durability and energy performance is growing. Innovation in construction that considers the use of the building beyond its construction is integral in determining our nation’s energy future.
Using concrete can facilitate the process of obtaining LEED™ Green Building certification. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a point rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building. The system is credit-based, allowing projects to earn points for environmentally friendly actions taken during construction and use of a building.
A new material for pavement and parking area designers is pervious concrete. Carefully controlled amounts of water and cementitious products create a paste that forms a thick coating around aggregate particles. Unlike conventional concrete, the mixture contains little or no sand, creating a substantial void content – between 15% to 25%. Using sufficient paste to coat and bind the aggregate particles together creates a system of highly permeable, interconnected voids which drain quickly. Both the low mortar content and the high porosity reduce strength compared to conventional concrete, but sufficient strength is readily achieved for many applications. Pervious concrete allows water to pass through the material and seep into the ground. Pervious concrete can be instrumental in recharging groundwater and reducing stormwater runoff. This capability can reduce the need for retention ponds, swales, and other stormwater management devices. Pervious pavement integrates hardscape surfaces with stormwater management.
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