While there’s a lot of talk about familiar eco-friendly products and high efficiency features in new homes, new technologies have also brought about new possibilities for all types of construction related materials. Our Brightwater team has worked intentionally to responsibly source all of our building materials, and now we are able to employ an unsung hero to drive sustainability in our new neighborhoods – concrete. Specifically, Brightwater uses concrete infused with CarbonCure technology from Atlanta-based Thomas Concrete.
What is CarbonCure?
Thomas Concrete with CarbonCure is a unique sustainable product designed to reduce environmental impact. CarbonCure technology injects purified CO2 that is collected from industrial emissions into the wet concrete mix. The CO2 reacts with calcium in the cement and is chemically converted into a solid calcium carbonate mineral, meaning it will never be released back into the atmosphere.
This process also actually improves the strength of the concrete itself – yielding a strong, sustainable product that helps significantly reduce concrete’s life cycle carbon footprint. In fact, between the CO2 that is recycled and that which is avoided in the process, Thomas Concrete with CarbonCure achieves an average net reduction of 25 lbs of CO2 per cubic yard of concrete.
How Does It Measure Up to Standard Concrete?
Thomas Concrete with CarbonCure not only achieves great results in terms of reducing carbon footprint. It also provides a strong and stable concrete product that meets or beats the compressive strength of standard concrete mixes. In addition, concrete with CarbonCure has been shown to match all performance standards in terms of set time, hardening, freeze-thaw, density, color, texture and durability.
Thomas Concrete with CarbonCure is just one of the unique partnerships we’ve put to work in new Brightwater neighborhoods pairing sustainability and high performance. Continuing that work is the passion and commitment of the Brightwater team in creating the very best new homes that are more efficient, healthier and built responsibly with a true respect for the environment. Learn more about Brightwater’s commitment to sustainability and stewardship here, and remember living green is living brightly!