Sustainable Building

PREFABRICATED CONCRETE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Sustainable building, green architecture and environmentally conscious design techniques are synonymous with what construction should be today and tomorrow.

From a life-cycle perspective, prefabricated concrete creates superior environmental and energy structures; at the end of its service life, 100% of the concrete can be recycled into aggregates. In addition, throughout its installation, precast concrete significantly reduces the environmental footprint of a construction site.

Sustainable building, green architecture and environmentally conscious design techniques are synonymous with what construction should be today and tomorrow.

From a life-cycle perspective, prefabricated concrete creates superior environmental and energy structures; at the end of its service life, 100% of the concrete can be recycled into aggregates. In addition, throughout its installation, precast concrete significantly reduces the environmental footprint of a construction site.

Durability and adaptability

Prefabricated concrete panels offer a long service life due to their durable and low maintenance surfaces. The insulated sandwich panel construction with exterior and interior concrete facades provides long-term durability both indoors and outdoors, and prefabricated concrete construction also offers the ability to move and reuse panels to renovate the building, rather than destroy it, if its use or function changes.

Prefabricated concrete panels offer a long service life due to their durable and low maintenance surfaces. The insulated sandwich panel construction with exterior and interior concrete facades provides long-term durability both indoors and outdoors, and prefabricated concrete construction also offers the ability to move and reuse panels to renovate the building, rather than destroy it, if its use or function changes.

Thermal mass and energy performance

The thermal mass of the concrete makes it possible to move the heating and cooling loads in a structure to reduce the requirements of the mechanical system and the energy consumption through the building envelope.

The thermal mass of the concrete makes it possible to move the heating and cooling loads in a structure to reduce the requirements of the mechanical system and the energy consumption through the building envelope.

Resistance to fire and natural disasters

The concrete is non-combustible and can contain a fire within its limits. As a separation wall, precast concrete prevents fire from spreading into a building or jumping from one building to another. Prefabricated concrete is resistant to wind, hurricanes and flooding.

The concrete is non-combustible and can contain a fire within its limits. As a separation wall, precast concrete prevents fire from spreading into a building or jumping from one building to another. Prefabricated concrete is resistant to wind, hurricanes and flooding.

Air infiltration

Prefabricated concrete panels have negligible air infiltration. Minimizing air infiltration between panels, floors and ceilings will provide a low air infiltration building. These effects will reduce energy costs and help prevent moisture problems.

Prefabricated concrete panels have negligible air infiltration. Minimizing air infiltration between panels, floors and ceilings will provide a low air infiltration building. These effects will reduce energy costs and help prevent moisture problems.

Indoor environmental quality

Concrete contains low to negligible VOCs. Polished concrete floors do not require carpet and exposed concrete walls do not require finishing materials, which eliminates the presence of sanding particles in drywall sealing joints.

Concrete contains low to negligible VOCs. Polished concrete floors do not require carpet and exposed concrete walls do not require finishing materials, which eliminates the presence of sanding particles in drywall sealing joints.

Local and abundant materials

Concrete is used in almost all countries of the world as a basic building material. The aggregates, which make up about 85% of the concrete content, are generally sand and stones obtained from local suppliers. Most prefabricated concrete plants are located within 200 miles (300 km) of a construction site. The use of local materials reduces the transportation required to ship heavy construction materials, thereby reducing energy consumption and associated emissions.

Concrete is used in almost all countries of the world as a basic building material. The aggregates, which make up about 85% of the concrete content, are generally sand and stones obtained from local suppliers. Most prefabricated concrete plants are located within 200 miles (300 km) of a construction site. The use of local materials reduces the transportation required to ship heavy construction materials, thereby reducing energy consumption and associated emissions.

Mitigating the effect of urban heat

Precast concrete provides reflective surfaces that minimize the urban “heat island” effect.

Precast concrete provides reflective surfaces that minimize the urban “heat island” effect.

Resistance to noise

Prefabricated concrete walls provide a buffer between outdoor noise and the indoor environment.

Prefabricated concrete walls provide a buffer between outdoor noise and the indoor environment.

Environmental policy

Schokbeton and Saramac wish to orient their activities in line with sustainable development. They will take into account in their strategic decisions the three major spheres that form the basis of sustainable development (the economy, the social and the environment), in order to ensure economical, socially equitable and environmentally sustainable development.

We place sustainable development at the heart of our priorities and we are committed to:

  • ●Complying with the regulations in force as well as other requirements that we could have subscribed to.
  • ●Improving the performance of our production activities by reducing its harmful effects on the environment.
  • ●Improving the management of our residual materials by reducing quantities and optimizing their valorization, and meeting the objectives of Quebec’s policy.
  • ●Implementing an approach to continuous improvement of occupational health and safety as well as prevention of pollution.
  • ●Setting environmental objectives and targets and achieving them.

Schokbeton and Saramac wish to orient their activities in line with sustainable development. They will take into account in their strategic decisions the three major spheres that form the basis of sustainable development (the economy, the social and the environment), in order to ensure economical, socially equitable and environmentally sustainable development.

We place sustainable development at the heart of our priorities and we are committed to:

  • ●Complying with the regulations in force as well as other requirements that we could have subscribed to.
  • ●Improving the performance of our production activities by reducing its harmful effects on the environment.
  • ●Improving the management of our residual materials by reducing quantities and optimizing their valorization, and meeting the objectives of Quebec’s policy.
  • ●Implementing an approach to continuous improvement of occupational health and safety as well as prevention of pollution.
  • ●Setting environmental objectives and targets and achieving them.

Additional information