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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
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Products: Eco-Readymix

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorbarbjones
    • CommentTimeJun 15th 2011
     
    I am completely new to the forum and building. We have planning permission for converting our redbrick barns into holiday lets and residential, and about to make a start by getting initial plans for building regs. which will involve digging out the floors and preparing the new ones. We want the conversion to be as environmentally sensitive as we can. A local company advertises eco-readymix (http://www.eco-readymix.co.uk/products.htm) and I wondered if anyone had any thoughts on this or any better ideas.
  2.  
    Its not clear whether it is the product that is "eco" or the company.
    In this respect, you may choose to use this company over others supplying the same product, or alternatively you could choose a different product.

    You need to consider the building/project as a whole. Does the building have damp-proof course? or is it old or does it have any historic value - is it listed?
    • CommentAuthorseascape
    • CommentTimeJun 15th 2011
     
    I would agree with Dominic - it doesn't really explain why the 'ready mix' is eco. Re the floors there are various threads on this forum about limecrete flooring, some with photos and also some about concrete that is more eco than normal - try the search facility - this would give you some information before you approach the company. Unfortunately I haven't bookmarked threads so can't tell you what they are. Good luck with project.
    • CommentAuthorbarbjones
    • CommentTimeJun 16th 2011
     
    Thank you for these comments. I saw one of the readymix lorries driving locally and found they are only about 15 miles from us and have only made preliminary enquiries so far. I will look at the limecrete flooring and other threads you suggested. The farm buildings are about 230 years old as far as I know, not listed but do not have a damp proof course. I was also looking for an alternative to synthetic damp proof membranes so will search the forum for this too. Last year I was at a meeting with Hempcrete although they implied this would probably be too expensive for floors, we may use it for insulating walls - I have seen the forum thread on this. We have to start the building work by the end of November to secure the planning but have plenty of time for the rest of it afterwards; I do however want to start the way we mean to go on.
  5.  
    Limecrete for the floors then. Think of it as offsetting the cost of a (possibly pointless) injection damp proof course.
    You would need a breathable surface finish such as stone flags or unglazed tiles.

    Posted By: barbjonesWe have to start the building work by the end of November to secure the planning


    Have you discharged any pre-commencement conditions? If not, this could take 8 weeks.
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeJun 16th 2011
     
    Posted By: Dominic CooneyLimecrete for the floors then. ...

    Posted By: barbjonesWe have to start the building work by the end of November to secure the planning


    Limecrete and the end of November doesn't sound a good combination.
  7.  
    Our limecrete floor was poured in winter. As long as the slab is internal and the surrounding structure is sound (i.e. roof, walls and windows), there shouldn't be a problem. We had a heater in there during frosty periods to ensure the temp didn't get too low.

    We used NHL 5 lime and left the slab for 6 weeks before we continued on the walls. The 6 week period coincided with Christmas so it didn't have too much of an impact on the other renovation work.
  8.  
    Same here. V cold when we did the work (last few days of January this year) but had constant temp monitor in the room and heater to keep above 5 degrees c at all times for the following 8 weeks until screeding at end of March.
    • CommentAuthorDarylP
    • CommentTimeJun 17th 2011
     
    Barbjones,

    I know this company, their 'eco' tag is a result of their wind-turbine in the yard, and the fact that they use pfa (pulverised fly ash) in their mixes..... not particulary easy on the environment compared to other concrete really?

    Whereabouts are you, whisper me if you want some specific or general advice.

    Cheers....:smile:
    •  
      CommentAuthorfostertom
    • CommentTimeJun 17th 2011
     
    Make the extg building structure waterproof by EWI, carry it down to base of founds, make the trench into a french drain backfilled with Leca for even more perimeter/wing insulation.

    Result - permanently lowered water table within the floorplan, so no damp rising thro walls or floor, so keep your existing floors undisturbed, warm underfoot and lo-loss thanks to all the perimeter insulation.
    • CommentAuthorwindy lamb
    • CommentTimeSep 18th 2011
     
    Eco-Readymix - They have a 20kW wind turbine in their yard but that's about as eco as they get.
    • CommentAuthorwookey
    • CommentTimeSep 18th 2011 edited
     
    barbjones: This document tells you everything you ever wanted to know about the sustainability of concrete (options that are greener, the names of different mixes, what the pros and cons are):
    http://www.thisisconcrete.co.uk/pdf/MB_SpecSustainableConcrete.pdf

    That lot will allow you to ask intelligent questions. In general one should ask for recycled agregate and/or PFA or GGBS but not be too prescriptive as it's a very local business, and 'concrete miles' is a big part of the energy use so what can sensibly be supplied varies a lot with locality.
    • CommentAuthorTimSmall
    • CommentTimeSep 18th 2011
     
    If you're after an eco-as-possible build, then the absolutely the best thing to do is to exceed the building regs specs by installing more insulation, paying lots of attention to detail when installing the insulation, and reducing thermal bridging where ever possible.

    CO2 from manufacturing the building products is significant, but is nearly always exceeded by the CO2 from heating over the lifetime of the building in this country.

    A couple of more concrete / cement links:

    http://www.greenspec.co.uk/cement-substitutes.php

    http://www.greenspec.co.uk/greening-of-concrete.php

    Cheers,

    Tim.
    • CommentAuthorTimSmall
    • CommentTimeSep 18th 2011
     
    Oh yeah, and if their whole eco thing is a piddly wind turbine, then it's just greenwash. Maybe it's not tho', phone them up and quiz them about what cement substitutes they offer. It's possible to go up to 90% GGBS for instance, if the build schedule allows (takes longer to reach full strength), and a structural engineer is involved (but GGBS isn't available in all areas)..

    Tim.
    • CommentAuthortiimjp1
    • CommentTimeSep 19th 2011
     
    Hi All

    I know this is probably a strange thought but has anyone ever heard of anyone using Concrete/ cement/flyash/lime combination with the ideas of Rammed earth structure. After all Rammed earth uses no cement and is structurally sound in its own right. /just a thought that using on site earth which is afterall an Agregate with a bonding additive as a dry mix would be more eco-friendly?

    ok tell me i'm stupid lol

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