We live in an age of rapid technological advancement, and while this may call to mind images of smartphones and self-driving cars, technology isn’t all about consumer electronics. Especially with recent booms in environmental efforts, the construction industry has been undergoing some major changes. When planning a construction project, you may choose to work with contractors who keep up with the latest products used in the construction industry. You may also look for supplies like redi-mix concrete that will boost the overall quality and efficiency of your project. Partnering with local concrete suppliers may work to your advantage especially if you can get a significant discount on their supplies. Next, keep in mind that stamped concrete is a very popular choice both on a residential and a commercial level because it can make plain concrete look far more aesthetic.
Water Infrastructure
One of the biggest concerns for keeping our world green and clean comes from water systems in metropolitan areas. Particularly during periods of heavy rainfall, sewer systems get overloaded with both sewage and rainwater. An unpleasant mix of the two overflows into rivers, bays, oceans, etc. Replacing these infrastructures for entire cities costs billions of dollars, so engineers are finding more cost effective ways to deal with rainwater and prevent sewage overflow. For example, Philadelphia is undertaking widespread projects to add green infrastructure to their city, rather than trying to replace their existing pipes. The idea of green infrastructure is not nearly as mechanical as it sounds. This mostly means finding ways to avoid rainwater from being funneled directly into the sewer systems. They’re accomplishing this, oddly enough, by planting more trees, building more parks, and generally creating surfaces around the city that will soak up rainwater rather than slough it off below ground. Besides the immediate advantages these green infrastructures create in terms of lessening sewage overflow, they increase public amenities and city beautification.
Combined Heat and Power Systems
According to Kalsi Engineering, a provider of affordable rotary seals, another green initiative comes from the electrical industry. Most of the world’s electricity is created by burning fossil fuels, which is a wildly inefficient process. Fossil fuels are, practically speaking, non-renewable, and because of our dependence on electricity we are eating through them at an alarming rate. In addition, the process of burning these fuels creates an enormous amount of energy waste in the form of heat almost 70 percent of the potential energy in these fuels is lost. Scientists are working to create a more efficient way to obtain energy from fossil fuels. One of the most important advancements has been combined heat and power systems, or CHP systems. These systems recover all that lost energy and distribute it to centralized areas. Because they only cover small areas, they also help decrease wide spread power outages. Over all, the heat energy that is recovered through these systems effectively doubles the productivity of the generating process. Besides the increased reliability and efficiency, it cuts down on costs and lowers harmful emissions.
Pollution-Absorbing Materials
The process of altering construction materials themselves has made vast environmental strides in recent years. Some companies have taken to adding titanium oxide to their concrete mixes. This additive helps absorb harmful chemicals in the air and turn them into benign chemicals that are easily washed away by a good rainfall. This additive cuts down on acid rain and improves the quality of air, which in the long term could help lessen respiratory diseases that are so much more common in metropolitan areas. Titanium oxide also breaks down dirt, so adding it to concrete mixes can keep buildings cleaner for longer without having to hire costly cleaning crews. Concrete takes a lot of heat to make, and so creates a good deal of pollution. Luckily, engineers are discovering additives that can help concrete actually absorb carbon dioxide and create cleaner air for all of us.
While a booming construction industry has long been viewed as detrimental to the health of the environment, thousands of people are working to decrease that footprint. Advances in construction technology are creating a cleaner, more efficient, better earth.
This article was contributed on behalf of Kalsi Engineering, your number one choice when looking for . Check out their website today and see how they can help you!
