Standard & Custom Civil Precast Solutions Provider
Standard & Custom Civil Precast Solutions Provider
We always take the sustainable approach so that we can reduce our carbon footprint, while still producing the high-performance precast concrete products our customers know and love.
At AE Concrete, we use PLC (Portland limestone cement) and fly ash to reduce the use of high-strength concrete used in the cross sections of our products. Doing so, reduces the volume of material needed to create our precast concrete products, which, in turn, reduces our carbon footprint. Our products incorporate reinforcement produced from 100% recycled materials, and we make every effort to minimize waste and to recycle everything we use.
What makes durability so important for sustainability? It’s simple. The longer a building lasts without needing major repairs or replacement, the less material we need to use over time. This means fewer resources extracted from our planet, less energy spent on manufacturing new materials, and, importantly, less waste ending up in landfills.
When you build with precast concrete, you’re building something that can last not just a few decades, but centuries or more. Better yet, when we finally reach the end of a structure’s life (be it 50 years or 200 years from now), precast concrete can give one final nod to sustainability. Concrete can be recycled and reused in the form of recovered aggregate, finding new life in other projects as a base material or engineered backfill. When we choose materials that are built to last, we’re not just investing in our immediate future but in a sustainable world for generations to come.
Unlike concrete that’s mixed and poured onsite, precast concrete is manufactured in a controlled factory environment. This process might seem minor in difference but is major in impact.
In the controlled environment of a factory, every mix is measured with care, ensuring not a drop of water or pinch of cement goes to waste. This precision cuts down on excess materials, slashing the waste that’s all too common in onsite pours. Pouring in a factory also means that conditions are always ideal for concrete production. There’s no waiting for the right weather to pour or cure concrete. This not only speeds up the construction process but also makes it far more energy efficient. Less energy used means a smaller carbon footprint, a win for any project aiming to be green.
AE Concrete has another trick up our sleeve: recycling. Almost everything that can be reused is. Steel and fiberglass forms are reused time and time again, and plywood forms can be dismantled and reused, reducing waste and minimizing the need for new resources. The entire operation runs on a waste not, want not mindset.
In a world where every drop counts, it is important to think about how we can reduce how much water we use in construction. Concrete is known to be a huge water guzzler, but this is another area where precast comes in clutch.
AE Concrete uses just what we need, no more, no less. Every stage of production is as efficient as possible, and that includes how much water we use. We also use a sustainable batching system that incorporates circular water usage by recycling grey water back into our mixes. This system works to eliminate waste, preventing it from entering back into the environment.
Since our precast concrete is made offsite and delivered ready to install, the need for water on the actual construction site is dramatically reduced. There’s no mixing, pouring, or curing with additional water onsite. This means your overall project has a smaller water footprint.
Another way precast concrete contributes to sustainability is by reducing transportation emissions. This might seem a bit contradictory at first—after all, concrete is heavy, and moving heavy things usually means burning a lot of fuel—but the story changes when we consider the local nature of precast concrete production and use.
Many of the materials used in precast concrete manufacturing, like sand, gravel, and stone, come from local sources. We’re not shipping it from overseas. Since our materials don’t have to travel far to get to our factory, transportation emissions are minimized. It’s a straightforward journey from quarry to factory to construction site.
Here in Canada, where natural resources are plentiful, this local loop of production and supply means trucks spend less time on the road. Fewer miles driven equals less fuel consumed and fewer emissions released into our atmosphere. It’s a great example of how thinking locally can make a big impact on reducing our carbon footprint.
