In the heat of summer we’re reminded daily that dark colors absorb more heat than light colors. Lancaster County company High Concrete Group put this principle to work with its newest type of precast concrete. This month it started selling its newest formulation of concrete made with white cement rather than conventional gray cement.
The newest blend also includes blast furnace slag, a byproduct of the steel making process that would otherwise be discarded. This byproduct is less expensive than cement and has a lower carbon footprint, High Concrete spokesman Dave Nicholas says.
But what’s really notable about the new mixture is its ability to reflect heat rather than absorb it. A measure called the solar reflectance index tracks how much solar heat a material absorbs, with black being 0 and white being 100. High’s new concrete has a score of 82.
Nicholas says this grade of concrete is typically used in projects like parking garages and high-rises. The timing for this product is fortunate as more builders try to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards and more municipalities adopt the International Green Construction Code. “It gives people another option for sustainable design,” Nicholas says.
This type of concrete can also combat the heat island effect, which explains why cities are often hotter than rural areas. This happens because urban areas have more surfaces that absorb heat. “Lighter surfaces, if they’re used, help reduce that phenomenon,” Nicholas says.
Source: Dave Nicholas, High Concrete Group
Writer: Rebecca VanderMeulen