ACE Update – July 2019

PrecastI IFeature

18 july 2019 ACEARCHITECTURECONSTRUCTIONENGINEERINGUPDATE

P

recast plays an essential role in the modern world

construction of every building today, it refers to

the making of parts in an offsite workshop or

factory prior to the installation at the site. The primary

purpose of precast construction is to produce building

components in an efficient work environment with

accesses to specialised skills and equipment in order

to reduce cost and time expenditures on the site while

enhancing quality and consistency.

Ideal choice for green building

Precast concrete has environmental attributes that

can make it preferable to cast-in-place concrete. Plant

casting is more resource-efficient in the use of formwork

and reduces waste generated at the construction site.

Also, standardised precast elements can be installed more

quickly and efficiently, resulting in faster construction

times and less on-site equipment noise and emissions.

Gaining additional recognition is precast or pre-stressed

concrete, which uses less material to achieve similar load-

bearing capacity. These types of environmental attributes

are important in terms of environmental excellence and

contribute to the material’s embodied energy. However,

these attributes relate only indirectly to existing LEED

points. For instance, reducing waste generated on site

makes it easier for a project to capture points awarded in

the Construction Waste Management credit for diverting

50 per cent to 75 per cent of construction waste from

area landfills. Less formwork on site also means that less

wood has to be purchased for a project, which makes it

easier to earn the Certified Wood credit, as certified wood

can be an expensive option for formwork.

Precast technology is recognised and recommended by

several international environmental agencies as well as

the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, GoI which

Continued to 20 g

Green Precast for

Sustainable Environment

Precast concrete has environmental attributes that can make

it preferable to cast-in-place concrete.