CEMCON 2019: Conference on Modern Trends in Construction Technology & Concrete

CEMCON 2019, the two day conference on Modern Trends in Construction Technology and Concrete was organised at Pune (India), on 13-14 December 2019. 

Dr J D Bapat made a presentation on "Cement-Based Building materials". Four types of Cement-Based Building Materials were presented, namely Dry Mixed Mortar (DMM) Plaster, Cement-Based Fly Ash Bricks, Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Blocks and Micro Concrete for Concrete Repair Work. 

The conference was attended by nearly delegates from construction industry. 12 experienced professionals from construction industry made their presentations. All presentations were followed by interesting q/a session, which saw very active participation. 

Visit Dr J D Bapat's website: Cement Manufacturing & Concrete

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Self-cleaning Concrete: Applications

The Photocatalytic Cement is already being used for sound barriers, concrete paver blocks, façade elements. Other applications include:

* Precast and architectural concrete panels
* Pavements, road surfacing and sidewalks
* Portland cement-based plaster for finish coat applications
* Concrete masonry units, roof tiles and cement-based tiles
* Cement-based restoration products

The best applications, for cost effectiveness, include any product used in thin layers or produced in a two-stage manufacturing process (with structural and face mixtures).

In one of the more innovative applications, Italcementi has successfully partnered with lighting system makers to develop artificial lighting systems that generate enough ultraviolet light to activate the photocatalytic process. The lighting system and photocatalytic cement concrete have been used in the renovation of a heavily trafficked tunnel in Rome.

The Photocatalytic cement has already been used in North America. A white precast concrete carillon tower was constructed at Dalton State College in Georgia. The 23 m tall tower is the centerpiece of a new quadrangle project and is visible from a nearby freeway, so it is important that it remains pristine.
Hyacinth Place, an affordable “green” housing complex in Highland Park, IL, has courtyard areas with concrete pavers incorporating photocatalytic cement. The pavers help clean the air as well as store and filter storm water that would have normally been nuisance runoff. The photocatalytic cement was used to
produce two 9 m tall gateway elements at the entrances to the new I-35 W bridge in Minneapolis, MN. These gleaming white concrete sculptures represent the
international symbol for water and serve as markers to remind travelers they’re crossing the Mississippi River. With the help of advanced technology and energy from the sun, they will remain proud symbols for decades to come.

The rain washes away the pollution from the concrete surface, hence buildings stay cleaner and do not require chemical applications that are potentially harmful to the environment. Maintenance costs are reduced. This is true even for buildings in highly polluted locations. One noted application is the Air France headquarters at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle International Airport near Paris, a white concrete building that has remained white. Another is the Church of the Year 2000 in Rome.

Clean buildings are great. Perhaps even more astounding environmental benefit is the potential for cleaner air. Concrete products that are exposed to sunlight throughout their life, like precast building panels, pavers and roof tiles, are especially suited to manufacture with photocatalytic cement. For instance, city streets made with special pavers are capable of reducing the pollution at its source—where it comes out of the tailpipe.

Question:

Discuss techno-economic feasibility of using Photocatalytic Cement in a building project

Reference:

(1) Barbesta M. and Schaffer D, "Concrete that cleans itself and the air", Concrete international, February 2009, pp 49-51

Energy efficient buildings

Energy efficient buildings Dr J D Bapat The public sector must be the front-runner in raising energy-efficiency standards for buildings, according to 45 European cities that have come together to contribute to a review of EU laws regarding the energy performance of buildings. The cities, from 18 EU member states, have united in pursuit of sustainable communities by integrating energy-efficiency improvement techniques and the use of renewable energy sources. They argue that the revamped Energy Performance of Buildings Directive should oblige authorities to display energy-performance certificates in visible places in all public buildings. In addition, all new public buildings should exceed national regulations by a certain percentage, they recommend. The key recommendations include: Lowering the current 1000m2 threshold required for buildings undergoing a major renovation in order to meet specific efficiency standards, Including final energy-use figures, as well as the corresponding primary energy-use and CO2-emissions ratings, in energy performance certificates, and; Creating a certified professional category, introducing certification to guarantee the quality of inspections and energy-performance certificates. The EU has set 20% emissions reduction goal by 2020. Preliminary findings indicate that the first 26 cities alone should achieve CO2 emission reductions of 21,000 tonnes per year. The initiative, launched by the EU executive, comprises 18 projects across Europe working to become as self-sufficient regarding energy supply as possible, all of which could contribute to the revised directive. For example, the four French cities participating in the initiative managed to raise standards nationally by introducing higher standards into local tender processes. Source: EurActiv.com, 16 January 2009 Question: Discuss various ways in which buildings could be made energy efficient Concrete home of the future: Concrete home of the future should incorporate a range of concrete attributes, to promote concrete as a sustainable building material. Read more .... ....