Green Building with Concrete: Sustainable Design and Construction, Second Edition by Gajanan M. Sabnis [2nd Edition]

Description

This book provides the most recent information about concrete’s history in the green
building movement, state-of-the-art methodologies, and best practices. It will appeal
to several major audiences. It may be considered as a textbook for use in university
courses and industry education, as a handbook for use by building owners wanting to
use concrete to assist in obtaining green certification, as a reference for industry professionals
seeking an overview of the subject of concrete and green buildings, and
as a guide to professionals in the building materials/product industries. The concept
of green buildings is in the process of emerging from a decade-long effort to define
its exact meaning. There have been research, white papers, articles, and seminars on
the role of concrete in the green building effort. To date, there has never been a book
organized to provide an overview of the available information.
The history of cement manufacturing and the use of concrete are discussed to provide
a context for today’s current practices. Continuing pressures on the construction
industry to reduce waste have resulted in an increase in the amount of concrete that is
recycled or reused. Refurbishing or reusing structures is the least-waste option. This
book outlines the variety of ways that concrete is easily and affordably reused. Work
is under way within the precast industry with the aim of making it possible to lease
concrete products so that they can be returned and/or reused.
The newly emerging green building delivery system now differs sharply from
conventional building delivery systems. The result of this evolution has been new
development and building delivery systems that emphasize a far wider collaboration
among all parties to the construction process, including owners, developers, architects,
engineers, constructors, facility managers, real estate professionals, and materials/
product manufacturers. New quality control systems with unique requirements are
one of the outcomes of the green building process, and this book will inform the
reader about these requirements and the appropriate use of concrete products.
For example, LEED (US Green Building Council [USGBC], Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design) buildings must have a building commissioning
component, a construction waste management system must be in place, erosion/
sediment control plans must be provided and enforced, and stringent construction
process requirements must be followed to ensure excellent indoor air quality for the
completed building. Concrete plays a role in each of these important green building
components. The USGBC’s LEED green building assessment standard will be referenced
often and covered in detail because it is the key to green building delivery in
the United States and is also being adopted in many other countries. Environmental
life cycle assessment methods conducted in accordance with ISO 14040* are
described regarding their role as important emerging green building tools. This book
will highlight research on economic analysis, in particular the application of life cycle costing,

to provide a full picture of the economic benefits of concrete for a
green building.