SAHBA Home Hints
August 24, 2008
Concrete: Hot Building Material that Keeps Homes Cool
Concrete is busting out of old forms. The building material moved from ground slabs to tall walls and eventually morphed into design accents such as fireplaces. If it can be designed, it can be poured.
“What you can do with concrete is very cool,” said Steve Washburn, owner of Washburn Custom Builders. “The medium allows for a lot of creativity.”
Washburn is building a home that will feature a kitchen island with a concrete countertop. The hearth of the fireplace also is concrete and will be poured in place.
Poured concrete flooring has become popular, especially because of its wide range of finishing options. Washburn uses a technique called etching on some of his concrete ventures. Etching utilizes acid to expose the top layer of the concrete and in turn, creates a design.
Concrete is a versatile material that can create any shape or size building. From homes to big box centers, and even elegant amphitheaters, concrete has been a builder's friend for years.
Concrete Beats Other Materials
Greater mass makes a concrete wall an exceptional acoustic barrier. Compared to wood and steel-framed walls, concrete can drown out more than 80% of sound.
Even though concrete can absorb sound, the material allows substances like water to pass. Using pervious concrete filters rainwater. Oil and grease deposits from vehicles can actually be separated from water by concrete. This means oil and grease won't pass into the ground.
The Green Side of the Gray Substance
Concrete is a triple threat. The material works as thermal mass, contributes to limiting Volatile Organic Compounds, and is a durable material. These qualities and others, add to its green points.
As a durable material, concrete stands up to the test of time and elements. Some concrete buildings have stood for more than 2,000 years. If homeowners need to tear down a concrete structure, much can be reused for new concrete slabs.
Washburn uses a system of concrete blocks to build walls in several of his homes. The insulated concrete forms help make his homes energy efficient.
“You can insulate frame and other block materials, but the insulated concrete forms are energy-efficient materials,” said Washburn, a SAHBA member. “It's like using concrete material inside an igloo cooler.”
Details: Washburn at (520) 615-4632.
SAHBA represents about 750 member businesses and 40,000 jobs serving the residential construction industry in Pima and Cochise counties.
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