If you’re climate conscious, you might be interested to know that conventional cement production accounts for a large portion of global annual carbon dioxide emissions. Concrete and cement have been the standard for building houses and skyscrapers for decades, but the energy required to produce cement, especially to burn limestone in kilns, results in a massive impact on the environment. However, there is an alternative right under our noses. Australian researchers have introduced a new construction option called frozen earth in cardboard, a material made only from earth, water and recycled cardboard. This innovation offers an interesting solution to the pollution that is generated by conventional building materials.
In addition to manufacturing pollution, construction sites generate millions of tons of physical waste each year, including discarded cardboard and paper. Finding a way to reduce both construction carbon output and paper waste tackles two important issues simultaneously. By looking back at ancient building practices and combining them with modern recycling technology, a team from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), a well-known public research university in Australia, has developed a method that not only eliminates the need for cement, but also reduces costs and simplifies the transportation of materials. This material proves that going green does not mean sacrificing structural stability. It can also be used as a nice looking drywall alternative for your home. If you are looking for a solution to cover your basement dirt floor, rammed earth is also a good choice.
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Construction of low structures using compacted soil
Hands that let the earth flow through them – Paul Burr/Shutterstock
Using earth as a building material is a practice that has been practiced for thousands of years. This technique is often referred to as rammed earth, a process of pressing soil together with water. Historically, the challenge has been the material’s tendency to shift or break when subjected to significant weight, leading modern builders to mix cement to make it more stable. RMIT researchers solved this by using recycled cardboard tubes to act as a structural jacket, which holds the compacted soil mix in place. This method does not require cement, but still produces a durable and solid material.
This cardboard pipe is unique because it keeps the soil moist during construction and stays in place to provide continuous support afterward. The durability of the finished column depends on the thickness of the cardboard tube, and the engineering team developed a mathematical formula that allows designers to calculate the strength of the material based on that thickness.
This material is also affordable. The researchers found that rammed earth insulated with cardboard costs less than a third as much as conventional concrete construction. The fact that local soil can be used also reduces the amount of materials and equipment that must be transported to the site, making transportation and planning easier and lowering the overall cost of the project. By avoiding the use of cement altogether, this technology removes concerns about finding the right way to dispose of cement waste. This means it provides a cleaner build process from start to finish.
Other benefits of earth surrounded by cardboard for construction
Stacked cardboard tubes for construction – vidiot/Shutterstock
One of the biggest benefits of this material is its environmental performance compared to traditional concrete. The process has a carbon footprint that is only about a quarter of that produced by conventional cement-based concrete construction. This represents an 80% reduction in carbon output by replacing a reused waste product with a manufactured one.
The material also continues to provide environmental savings long after the structure is built. Rammed earth structures have a natural ability to store heat, which means that the walls can absorb heat energy and release it gradually. This helps regulate the temperature of the building, keeping it cool in the hottest parts of the summer and warmer in the colder months. This has the potential to reduce utility-related carbon emissions and lower energy bills. While using rammed earth for this shows promise, research teams are still working to determine how the material will hold up over many years of exposure and use to the weather.
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