Brief
Discover how voided concrete, using innovative techniques like Cobiax balls, is transforming urban construction for sustainability and efficiency.
Insight
This article delves into the evolving field of concrete construction, focusing on the use of voided concrete techniques. Voided concrete, a method first seen in the 1920s, involves creating empty spaces within concrete slabs to reduce weight and material usage, hence decreasing carbon emissions. A prominent example is the redevelopment of 1 Wall Street, where air-filled cavities or plastic spheres create voids in concrete floors.
Voided concrete slabs reduce floor weight by a third, requiring less concrete and resulting in lower emissions. This technique not only cuts costs in construction but also facilitates the addition of extra floors in projects like office-to-residential conversions. For instance, at 1 Wall Street, these slabs enabled the addition of six floors with minimal reinforcement.
The article also highlights a proposed project on 29th Street and 5th Avenue in New York City, demonstrating the potential savings in materials like glass and operational costs due to reduced building height. Voided concrete has been gaining popularity worldwide, with various systems like Honeycomb-shaped Beeplate offering innovative solutions.
Danish engineer Jorgen Breuning rediscovered this technique in the late 90s, leading to its wider adoption, exemplified by projects like the Harpa Concert Hall in Iceland. While traditional building methods in places like New York have slowed its adoption, the focus on sustainability and the upcoming Cobiax factory in Massachusetts signify a promising shift towards more widespread use of voided concrete systems.
Highlight
- Voided concrete, a method first seen in the 1920s, involves creating empty spaces within concrete slabs to reduce weight and material usage.
- Voided concrete slabs reduce floor weight by a third, requiring less concrete and resulting in lower emissions.
- Voided concrete has been gaining popularity worldwide, with various systems like Honeycomb-shaped Beeplate offering innovative solutions.
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