How does concrete affect the environment compared to wood and steel?
Concrete is essentially inert; it does not rot, burn, offgas or rust, and provides durability that significantly outlasts many other building materials including wood and steel. The cement industry utilizes industrial byproducts like fly ash and consumes less energy than its competitors. According to the Canadian and US Departments of Energy, cement production accounts for 0.33 percent of energy consumption lower production levels than steel production at 1.8 percent and wood production at 0.5 percent. In addition, it places less stress on our environment to acquire the raw materials for concrete than for steel or wood.
