At Knife River – South Dakota, we believe that building with concrete makes good environmental, as well as business sense. Through the use of best environmental practices, we support sustainability and take responsibility for the world in which we live. Environmentally friendly in many ways, concrete has been used for centuries to build durable structures where versatility and strength are key considerations.
- Concrete is composed of readily available ingredients including water, aggregate, and cement. Quarries are the primary source of raw materials, and these spaces can be easily reclaimed because extraction of has virtually no byproducts. Often they are restored to their natural state.
- Concrete is energy efficient, with only modest energy needs. Many concrete products are made from local resources and processed in the area, reducing transportation fuel and handling costs. Once in place, concrete can offer significant energy savings over a lifetime, as its thermal mass, when coupled with insulating materials, helps regulate temperature in buildings and homes.
- Concrete is a durable building material, becoming stronger with time. This means less maintenance and fewer replacement costs when compared with other materials.
- Basically inert, concrete has little impact on the environment once in place, making it a renewable and green building material.
- Concrete itself can be reused and recycled as an aggregate in new concrete mixtures.
While there are many environmental advantages to building with concrete, we are keenly aware of the risks involved and are committed to protecting and preserving the world around us. For that reason, we continually improve all of the products we manufacture to ensure they leave behind only a very small footprint on the environment.
As your partner, we will help you to ensure best environmental practices are followed throughout your building project by:
- Providing the ideal admixture, using only the appropriate and least invasive chemical additives to achieve the best results.
- Carefully estimating concrete quantities for your jobsite to ensure efficiency and reduce waste.
- Avoiding on-site environmental damage to soil and trees.
- Controlling water runoff to protect topsoil and surface water.
- Promoting the use of concrete waste as clean fill when possible.
At Knife River – South Dakota, we believe that building with concrete makes good environmental, as well as business sense. Through the use of best environmental practices, we support sustainability and take responsibility for the world in which we live.
