Future perfect

No matter how environmentally friendly a large building project is, there's little chance of escaping the fact that it will need to be constructed predominantly from concrete.

In order to adhere to Leighton Properties' green-based initiatives, Boral Construction Materials developed an environmentally friendly concrete that requires less energy to produce and therefore has significantly less carbon dioxide emissions in production than the regular variety.

Using a combination of flyash, which is a by-product of electricity production, and slag, a by-product of iron production, Boral achieved a 40% cement replacement in the design of the mix, allowing developers to gain up to two points in the material section of the Green Building Council of Australia Green Star rating.

The reuse of these industrial waste products means a reduction in carbon emissions and waste going to landfill. However, in developing this environmentally friendly product, Boral did face some challenges. Replacing such a high level of cement and still maintaining the strength necessary to structurally support the building was a difficult feat. The solution was to have the engineers in the Boral laboratories run stringent tests to ensure the appropriate mix design to meet Leighton and the Building Council's requirements.

For details, contact Boral Construction Materials, 147 Coronation Drive, Milton, Queensland 4064, phone (07) 3867 7600. Email: info@boral.com.au, or visit the website: www.boral.com.au.

Story by: Trendsideas