Responsible building decisions begin with concrete

(MS) -- Global forests need to be protected, so wood is no longer the material of choice when building a responsible home.

Concrete and masonry are far more sustainable -- and luckily, far more advantageous. In fact, the homeowner benefits of comfort, safety and energy efficiency are so pronounced, hospitals, offices, and school officials are also insisting on this change to concrete.

"School boards are always looking at ways to reduce costs," says Todd Blyth at Nudura Corporation, a leading name in building system technology, "so the answer begins at construction. More and more school boards are approving green materials and fixtures for their new schools. This change is good for the environment, good for operating costs, and good for the overall health of the kids.

"One of the schools we built had the indoor air quality tested and the air was cleaner inside the school than it was outside," Blyth explained. "Building with Nudura not only helps to achieve better indoor air quality, it also provides a safer environment over traditional building methods."

Primary Benefits

This building innovation consists of reinforced concrete sandwiched between two layers of polystyrene. Resulting structures are hailed for superior strength, safety, comfort -- and the concrete virtually eliminates the toxic emissions produced by buildings structured with wood. Nudura units build an eye-catching structure with less waste material and the process cuts construction time in half. Building owners and residents save money on maintenance and energy -- and the resulting structure (nudura.com) is reported to be up to nine times stronger, with far more fire protection, far more sound insulation, and with a potential to reduce energy costs of up to 70 percent.

"In fact, North American school boards are setting a fine example for what can be achieved," Blyth points out. "We've had more than one parent tell us that they want the same health, safety and environmental benefits in their home the next time they build."