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EcoSmart Concrete tackles construction issues in the Emirates.

 
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23 Nov 2007

EcoSmart™ Concrete, a cutting-edge Canadian technology proven in some of the world’s most difficult environments, can help tackle major construction issues facing companies in the United Arab Emirates.

It is demonstrably more durable, with an ability to resist salt corrosion in extreme marine environments. It has the potential to be less expensive than traditional concrete and is easier to pump and work, especially in high temperatures. EcoSmart Concrete requires less water and cooling, a key concern throughout the GCC. And because it reduces cement usage, a major producer of greenhouse gases, EcoSmart Concrete offers distinct environmental advantages.

EcoSmart Concrete is specially formulated with up to 50% of supplementary cementing materials (SCMs), primarily ground granulated blast furnace slag and fly ash from coal burning power stations. Originally developed by CANMET, a world-renowned Canadian Government laboratory, it significantly improves concrete performance, especially in harsh conditions.

Canadian mega-project - 13 kilometre-long Confederation Bridge across the Northumberland Strait in Eastern Canada.
Canadian mega-project - 13 kilometre-long Confederation Bridge across the Northumberland Strait in Eastern Canada.

For almost a decade, the EcoSmart Foundation, a non-profit Canadian corporation, has worked with designers, engineers, developers and construction managers to test the use of EcoSmart Concrete in real world construction projects. More than twenty successful Canadian case studies by EcoSmart have led to hundreds of projects successfully incorporating the technology in all types of structures. Made with the same or greater standards than with traditional methods and at no extra cost, these projects demonstrate that it is possible to combine performance, profitability and environmental responsibility in concrete construction.

EcoSmart Concrete’s advantages over conventional concrete came to the fore in a challenging Canadian mega-project, construction of the 13 kilometre-long Confederation Bridge across the Northumberland Strait in Eastern Canada. This bridge incorporates high levels of SCMs in the pier and deck concrete to improve resistance to sea water.

Another example is passenger stations built as part of Vancouver’s overhead “SkyTrain” system, similar to Dubai’s Metro. EcoSmart Concrete was used in these stations to help meet the 100-year lifetime requirement specified by the Vancouver Authority.

EcoSmart Concrete is being brought to the Emirates by EcoSmart in collaboration with the Government of Canada through its TEAM initiative. The Canadian private sector and UAE partners, such as Unibeton and the American University in Dubai, are also contributing to this effort.

EcoSmart President Michel de Spot is enthusiastic about the potential for EcoSmart Concrete in the region. “I know that EcoSmart Concrete can make a positive contribution to construction in the Emirates. Our goal is to bring all our experience and knowledge to the challenges in this very difficult building environment.”

EcoSmart is now setting up demonstration projects in the Emirates and is able to provide technical support, including additional testing, training, design and implementation.

Companies interested in participating in the EcoSmart Concrete project in the UAE should contact EcoSmart Emirates at the coordinates below.

Watch for the upcoming seminar on EcoSmart Concrete for Green Building at the Big 5 conference in the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, Wednesday, November 28 at 1:00pm. Also visit the EcoSmart booth in the Canadian Pavilion, Hall 3.

EcoSmart is a non-profit organization that helps the building industry innovate and adopt new technologies that are ecologically and economically smart. The EcoSmart Concrete project aims to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with concrete construction without sacrificing performance and cost.

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