Building Materials Challenge

The worlds built environment is responsible for 37% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. And in Australia, it is responsible for one-fifth of all our emissions, so what is the least environmentally friendly building material? Answer is three materials - concrete, steel, and aluminum that contribute 23% of emissions worldwide.

Australian building and construction industry continues to forecast growth as our great country has the capacity for development. But it is not all doom and gloom when it comes to future emissions, as there is significant action occurring to reduce embodied carbon in the Australian building and construction industry.

This action is lead by the NSW Government organization MECLA - Materials Embodied Energy Leaders Alliance. And powered by a vast group of financial supporters, partners, and members from the industry. All actively applying maximum effort within ten key working groups to brainstorm, collaborate and work together to find and help implement the solutions we need.

There are new developments and methods rising up to be the next best options to build Australia and protect our environment for future generations simultaneously.

Australia is the worlds number one raw material provider for both steel and aluminum. With mined iron ore accounting for one third of the world consumption, and bauxite similar percentage volume. These Australian materials are primarily sold and accounting for our largest export revenue for our economy. They are of highest quality for other countries to process to steel and alloy required for product manufacturers.

The separation process to extract the valuable elements for steel and aluminum alloy create significant industrial tailings waste. However it is now an opportunity to recycle and re-invent new products made from this industrial safe-waste to replace traditional building product options that continue take from our natural capital.

Recycling is key to defend against global warming.

These industrial tailings/waste streams can be now processed to realize valuable 'new' material options to form new sustainable concrete blends and new light weight concrete building products. And when mixed with natural fibrous regenerative material such as hemp, can start to replicate hardwood timber products for builders and retain concrete strength.

Cementious mix with greater lifecycles, and recycled at end of life.

This exciting new development is something I had the pleasure to promote a few weeks ago at MECLA's Building Materials Challenge. New industrial tailings/waste building products for outdoors use that look and feel like hardwood timber. And formed as recycled content that Australia is causing from exports of iron ore and bauxite, that our economy heavily relies on. This international Cementious mix standard is called HPFRCC - High Performance Fibre Reinforced Cementious Composite.

HPFRCC - High Performance Fibre Reinforced Cementious Composite.

The use of this type of recycled content is new, and with the importance for Australian responsibility in this field. If you would like to learn more of these developments, then please follow and support or visit us at: https://www.reynardwood.com.au