Recycled concrete holds up in structural applications

Researchers at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan's School of Engineering compared the compressive strength and durability of recycled and conventional concrete within a building foundation and a municipal pavement. They found that the recycled concrete had comparable strength and durability after five years of being in service.

Swiss team develops more sustainable reinforced concrete

"We live in a world where we are constantly in search of sustainable solutions that remove waste from our landfills," said Shahria Alam, co-director of UBC's Green Construction Research and Training Centre and the lead investigator of the study. "A number of countries around the world have already standardised the use of recycled concrete in structural applications, and we hope our findings will help Canada follow suit."

According to Alam, waste materials from construction and demolition contribute up to 40 per cent of the world's waste and in Canada that waste amounts to nine million tonnes per year.