Why Is Concrete a Popular Commercial Construction Material?
In commercial construction, concrete is king among building materials. It is the second most popular material but comes in as the very first among manmade materials.
When compared to the other building material options out there, concrete is head and shoulders above them– it is far superior in a number of ways, from soundproofing to weather resistance.
These advantages are why concrete is so popular in commercial construction.
Read on for a list of concrete’s key advantages and why it is so popular in commercial construction projects.
Also Read – Design-Build Construction is What Seko Does
Advantages of Concrete
Durability
One of the best advantages of concrete is its durability. After all, in a large structure– or even a smaller structure– you want it to be able to stand up to things like abrasion or tension.
You need the building to last and for its structural integrity to stay intact. It is able to resist many different factors that can wear down a building, such as erosion, tensile, and compressive stress. If there is a natural disaster, concrete is the building material that is the most likely to remain intact.
Longevity
Due to all of the factors that contribute to concrete’s strength and durability, this building material is one that will last longer and be able to stay in tip-top shape without needed repairs or renovations for longer than other building material options.
Plus, it is a building material that has quite a bit of history– it has been the material of choice for thousands of years. For instance, the Ancient Egyptians created a fairly basic form of concrete to build many of their buildings. Concrete was later revolutionized by the Roman Empire, who used it to build their empire!
Versatility
Concrete is also one of the more versatile materials you could implement for a commercial construction project. It can be made to be different colours, or you could use stamps to print different patterns or motifs upon the surface before it sets. In addition to aesthetic versatility, concrete can be used in a variety of ways for a variety of different projects. For instance, it can be used to create pipes or drains that would be utilized within the building that is being constructed. It can also be used for more structural applications like walls or foundations.
Easy to Create
Another benefit of concrete is that it is easy to produce, which makes it more cost-effective and streamlines the construction process, too. Concrete is mostly made up of cement, which is made of limestone. Luckily, limestone is one of the most common minerals on earth, which means that we are not going to run out of concrete or cement anytime soon!
This makes it easy to produce mass quantities of concrete in short amounts of time. In addition, concrete can be produced from waste by-products instead– these by-products would come from locations such as steel mills, power plants, or other manufacturing facilities.
Good for the Economy
Concrete is something that is good for the economy because it produces jobs, too. As mentioned above, concrete is one of the most commonly used building materials. Plus, there are such large amounts of concrete that are being produced every day, and this concrete requires workers to get it made! Due to this, many jobs have been created in the concrete industry. Since there is a constant and high demand for this material, it creates steady jobs that families can rely on, which is key for the local economy as a whole.
Fireproof
Certain building materials can burn, so they require extra steps in order to fireproof them. For instance, wood is a material that is not fireproof. Concrete, however, is fireproof. This not only saves time because the material does not need to be fireproofed, but it also makes the building safer to begin with. Being fireproof is a crucial safety feature. It means that the building provides better protection for inhabitants in the event of a fire– it also means that the building will fare better in a fire and often will require fewer repairs afterwards. For this reason, residential buildings are often built using concrete.
Rustproof
There are some building materials out there that will rust, which is of course something that will need to be addressed later on. One such material is metals such as cast iron. Rust can deteriorate materials and affect the structural integrity of a building. Luckily, concrete is one of the building materials you can choose that is rustproof! That way, there is one less thing to worry about once the building is complete. Often, materials that do rust will need to be replaced, so by implementing cement, builders can avoid running into this issue. For this reason, cement can be especially great for drains or pipes that will come into a lot of contact with water.
Weatherproof
In addition to being rustproof and fireproof, cement is weatherproof, too. For instance, cement is more resistant to wind, rain, or other weather than other building materials are. Cement will not rot or erode over time, among other common effects that structures may see from different weather patterns. In the event of natural disasters, a cement structure is far more likely to be still standing afterwards– or will at least have suffered less damage. This is especially important in areas that see lots of storms, natural disasters, or other tough weather events.
Soundproof
Another great benefit of cement is that it is a soundproof material. It is much more difficult for sound to travel through concrete than, say, wood, for example. Concrete can allow for more privacy in a building, and can also keep it quieter so it is more peaceful and easy to work, too. Concrete has soundproofing qualities, so just by building with it, a structure is already off to a better start than with other materials. It can then be soundproofed even further if desired. For this reason, concrete can be a great choice for apartment buildings or office buildings.
Environmentally Friendly
Last but not least, concrete is an environmentally friendly building material option– even though it may not seem like it is at first glance! Concrete can be recycled into aggregate, which has a myriad of different uses. During the recycling process, the concrete is crushed and turned into aggregate before it can be recycled into different products. Then, it can be used for plenty of different applications! For instance, some of these uses are backfill, concrete pavement, road base, and driveways. It can be implemented for both residential and commercial use.
Also Read – What is Commercial Construction?
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is concrete?
Concrete is a popular building material, and in fact, it is the second most consumed material in the entire world! When it comes to man-made materials, it is the number one most consumed material worldwide. This is in part due to its strength and durability, as well as how versatile it can be. It is weatherproof, so it can work well in a variety of different locations and climates.
What are the advantages of concrete in construction?
There are many reasons why people opt for concrete in construction. For instance, it is a low-maintenance material, but for being so low maintenance, it still is very durable and weatherproof, too. It does not rust, rot, or burn like other construction materials– such as wood or metal.
It can also absorb and then retain heat, which can be helpful because it increases the efficiency of the building and will help to cut the cost of heating or cooling as well. Last but not least, concrete is a soundproof material, so it can be great for office or apartment buildings.
Why is concrete better than other materials?
When you compare concrete to other building materials, such as wood or metal, it has a number of advantages. All of these contribute to its standing as the most used man-made construction material. For instance, concrete is weatherproof and does not burn or rust– unlike other materials.
Plus, concrete has a higher durability, strength, versatility, energy efficiency, and soundproofing than most other materials. The material can often offer higher cost savings in the long run for the building when compared to other building materials, in addition to higher maintenance and efficiency savings.
Why is concrete construction important?
Concrete is one of the most commonly used building materials, and there is a reason for that! It is an important building material because of certain factors, such as its resistance to abrasion, chemical action, and weathering action, as well as tensile and compressive stress.
It can stand up to all of these conditions for long periods of time and is able to do so without compromising the structural integrity of the building. This is crucial because when a structure is being built, it is expected to stand the test of time, or at least last a certain amount of time before renovations or repairs are needed.