Is your business doing its part in ensuring environmental sustainability? Beyond its social responsibilities to employees, customers, and governments, your business should ensure its daily activities do not adversely affect the environment. 

One of the business strategies that you can adopt to help the environment is using sustainable building materials in your construction projects. Concrete is one such material.

Keep reading to learn why concrete is an environmentally sustainable building material for your commercial construction projects.

Raw Material Abundance

The primary ingredients used to make concrete are cement, aggregate (fine and coarse, usually sand and gravel), and water. These materials are abundantly available. The starting materials required for manufacturing cement, including lime, clay, shale, and other minerals, are extracted from local quarries, eliminating the need to source them overseas.

Due to the abundance and ready availability of the raw materials required for making concrete, concrete construction is good for the environment.

Long Life Cycle

As wet concrete cures, it gains strength and resilience through a hydration process.

Hydration describes a chemical reaction that allows the mineral compounds in freshly-laid concrete to form strong chemical bonds with the water molecules, resulting in hardened concrete that can resist most forms of damage for decades. 

Whether used in construction, concrete creates highly durable structures that can last for decades before requiring demolition and replacement. The reduced need for demolitions and new construction helps protect the environment. 

Minimal Maintenance And Repairs Required

In addition to their durability, concrete structures require less maintenance and fewer repairs throughout their lifespans.

The reduced need for upkeep and repairs reduces the number of materials used throughout the lifespans of the concrete structures, translating to lower life-cycle costs and more economical use of natural resources. 

Energy Benefit

Have you ever wondered why concrete buildings feel more comfortable than their wooden or concrete counterparts, even without insulation?

Concrete has a high thermal mass, meaning it absorbs heat slowly, traps it, and releases it when needed. That explains why concrete buildings feel cooler during hot days and warmer during cold nights.

Using concrete in your construction projects can significantly reduce your commercial HVAC loads, allowing you to save money on heating and cooling bills.

Planning a commercial construction job and want to discover more ways concrete can help with your business's environmental sustainability goals? Talk to a commercial concrete contractor in your area to discuss your project and get your quote.