why choose concrete? Why choose Concrete? B E T T E R B U Answer Its Built to last!!

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1 why choose Why choose Concrete? concrete? Answer Its Built to last!! CONCRETE BUILTIS B E T T E R B U ILT

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3 it s built to last! Fact 2 Concrete has in built fire protection that comes with no additional cost. Fact 1 Concrete and masonry buildings can stand for centuries with minimum maintenance. it s fire safe it s resilient Fact 3 Flood Resilience and Fire Resistance are just two of concretes in built benefits. Fact 4 Concrete is manufactured by local people using locally sourced materials creating and sustaining local jobs and economic benefit. it s local it s Energy efficient Fact 5 Concrete is 100% recyclable and its whole life performance will reduce carbon emissions from buildings and homes. Fact 6 Choosing concrete and masonry buildings with high standards of insulation, airtightness and thermal bridging will conserve fuel and energy. it s sustainable it provides security and comfort Fact 7 - Quieter homes can make a valuable contribution to the health and well-being of those living in them.

4 Sustainability Benefits of Concrete Concrete products are essential to our standard of living and quality of life in Northern Ireland. Their use underpins the construction industry which employs 80,000 people and is worth some 3.1 billion for the local economy. Locally the construction materials manufacturers employ over 5000 people, mainly in rural areas, thus helping to support and sustain local communities. The concrete products industry is totally committed to reducing its environmental footprint by investing significantly in energy efficiency measures and new, innovative, sustainable products. Advances in concrete technology will help design and build your sustainable, energy efficient home, office, school, etc. The energy and carbon efficiency of your building could affect the heating costs, insurance and re-sale value of your property. BENEFITS OF THERMAL MASS The utilisation of concrete s thermal mass means energy consumption can be reduced, by diminishing the need for heating and cooling in a building. As a heavy weight material, concrete stores heat from sources such as solar radiation, people, lighting and any other activities within the structure. This energy is then slowly released back into the building later in the day. Concrete s thermal stability helps provide energy efficient, fire-proof buildings. For further information, visit: or

5 Concrete IS built to last Concrete is truly made to last. It can withstand major shocks, absorb sound and regulate temperatures. Concrete buildings can remain serviceable for hundreds of years, if properly maintained. The long life of concrete buildings is due to concrete s in-built properties. The durability of concrete enables it to resist weathering action, chemical attack and abrasion while maintaining its desired properties. Concrete is inert, non-combustible, non-biodegradable and does not rust, warp, rot or melt and retains its structural stability at high temperatures. The vast majority of concrete buildings will not suffer structural damage in a flood or after a leak. Concrete buildings remain durable with much lower associated maintenance costs and impacts than other materials which, for example, may require repainting or treatment for mould or rotting. Concrete provides Fire Protection Concrete has unsurpassed and proven fire resistance properties. Concrete is a non-combustible material (i.e. it does not burn). It cannot be set on fire unlike other materials in a building and concrete elements retain their strength at high temperatures, so concrete structures can withstand the effects of a fire without requiring any other form of active or passive protection. This in-built safety feature comes at no additional cost and will always be there, even if the building changes over time due to refurbishment or accidents. In addition, concrete does not require special coatings or sealers. This means that concrete has much more to offer than other structural construction materials when it comes to fire protection. In essence, concrete can be described as virtually fireproof. Concrete is Resilient Concrete is inherently water resilient and entirely suitable for a building designed to be either waterproof, as required for water barriers, or water resilient, in the cases of our homes. Dwellings constructed with concrete and masonry can easily be designed to be flood resilient. Despite the severe damage caused to property by flooding, the vast majority of buildings built using concrete will not suffer structural damage due to warping, rotting or rusting in a flood. In many cases, people will suffer inconvenience and damage to carpets, curtains and furniture, but the concrete structure will dry out when the flooding has receded. Concrete does not absorb significant amounts of water and finishes that are water damaged can be stripped off and replaced, minimising the drying time and cleaning required before reoccupation.

6 Concrete is Local Concrete is a locally sourced material, compared with steel which must be imported or timber which is often shipped from as far away as Eastern Europe. In addition the ingredients that go into making concrete aggregates, cement, and water are also sourced locally. Most readymixed concrete is only transported 20km to 30km from the production plant to the construction site. Concrete is a local business, employing local people. There are over 5,000 people directly or indirectly employed in the aggregates and concrete products industry across Northern Ireland. Many of these jobs are provided in areas where little alternative employment exists. Therefore, not only are concrete products used to construct local houses and buildings, the wages earned in this local business are pumped back into the local economy, creating further jobs and wealth. Concrete is Sustainable The Whole-life performance of concrete and concrete buildings is the key to concrete s sustainability credentials. The sustainability of any material is intrinsically linked to its service life or years of use. Taking the performance of concrete from raw material extraction, manufacture, transport, construction and use of the building to end-oflife disposal or reuse, it is easy to see why concrete is the overwhelming construction material of choice throughout the world. Concrete is Energy Efficient Concrete s thermal mass reduces energy consumption and moderates internal temperatures thereby reducing costs. As the use of buildings accounts for the largest part of their environmental impact, thermal mass in buildings offsets the impact resulting from the production of concrete itself. As concrete buildings have very few joints or connections and maintain their structure over time, air-tightness is achieved, which also saves energy. Concrete Provides Security and Comfort Quieter homes can make a valuable contribution to the health and well-being of occupants. Also, homes which can maintain stable indoor temperatures, irrespective of external fluctuations contribute to a comfortable living environment. Both of these features of modern comfortable living are enhanced by using concrete s natural properties. Sound insulation from noisy external environments and between properties is increasingly recognised as an important requirement for new homes. Concrete walls and floors provide high levels of sound insulation across a wide range of frequencies, thereby reducing noise levels in homes. This is achieved by the inherent mass, stiffness and damping properties of concrete.

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8 To find out who our QPANI Members are visit our website at: CONCRETE BUILTIS B E T T E R B U ILT Quarry Products Association Unit 10 Nutts Corner Business Park Dundrod Road Crumlin Co. Antrim BT29 4SR T: