Sustainability

Concrete is exceptionally strong and can be readily molded into various shapes and forms, but it also absorbs water (which can lead to decay), is a very poor thermal insulator and is exceedingly heavy – all critical properties that can be improved by the addition of CityMix.

Efforts have been made since the Roman discovery of concrete to reduce product weight through the addition of naturally occurring lighter weight aggregates. Originally, air-infused volcanic products such as pumice and scoria were used, but since then other minerals like perlite (volcanic glass) and expanded clay, shale and slate have been employed to similar benefit. Industrial by-products such as recycled glass, slag, cinders, and flyash are now also commercially utilized. Many lightweight concrete additives, including CityMix, improve insulation, enhance fire resistance, and help cut transportation and handling costs. Reduced weight also helps reduce structural concrete and steel requirements, and the material and installation costs related to stabilizing seismic mass.

But today’s popular commercial lightweight concrete additives share many drawbacks, including the following limitations:

    • Most materials are mined or manufactured in limited geographical regions, which can significantly impact shipping costs
    • Extraction and production requires intensive processing and handling
    • Mined and porous materials often require climate controlled stockpiling in order to provide customers with stable delivery weights and moisture content
    • Naturally porous products pose pumping concerns because mixture water may be driven into material pores, which can lead to clogging and loss of hose pressure
    • Natural materials often have inconsistent air content, which can produce imbalanced mixes, air pocket-related finish disturbances, and other problems
    • Many popular mines are running out of consistent quality material, which is a major concern for many concrete product industries
    • Many mined and manufactured products are burdened by increasing environmental concerns and regulatory pressures.

The CityMix EPS-based ultra-lightweight concrete additive can help the concrete industry avoid all of the above problems.

LEED

  • LEED – LEED certification assistance information