The BBM headquarters

One of the most vibrant sectors of the UK economy, the construction industry grew by about 3% in 2007. It is easy to see examples of this growth taking place. We only have to look at the changing city landscapes in the UK to see cranes on construction sites as new buildings are erected.

Many of these construction programmes bring with them opportunities to regenerate dilapidated and depressed areas with new exciting developments. As part of the regeneration of urban areas, one of the biggest challenges faced by the construction industry is to ensure that sustainability is at the centre of all construction programmes in the UK.

Common sense dictates that we cannot simply continue replacing old buildings with new ones, as this is not sustainable. Therefore, it is important that the construction industry looks at ways to refurbish buildings and make them fit for purpose. This is especially true of concrete structures which, with the right high quality products and expertise, can be successfully transformed.

Given that many of the buildings in desperate need of regeneration were built in the 1960s and 1970s using concrete, with little thought for sustainability, it is vital that we learn lessons from the past and take opportunities to refurbish. A strategy of repair in many areas has already seen some derelict concrete buildings, which have been subject to integral structural refurbishment, result in some of the highest specification of office space in cities such as Manchester and London.

This approach can also be taken to simply improve the external face of a building making it look more desirable and attractive. By repairing damaged concrete windowsills and external cladding, a building can be saved from demolition as it can contribute to an urban area which is subject to regeneration.

Bridges across roads, railways and rivers, have also been saved from demolition due to suppliers making the right products available, in the right quantity for specialist sub contractors.

If cracking has appeared on a bridge, the concrete can be repaired by applying a mulsifix system made of a keycoat primer. This is brushed onto the concrete and any steel works, together with a lightweight mortar that is thickly applied to the concrete, to repair the cracks. The mulsifix system means the structure is back to full strength in just seven days and can be used to normal capacity while ensuring the long-term future of the bridge.

Many of the bridges in need of repair can be fixed now in order to avoid major disruptive work in the future, which could see the closure of a major transport or infrastructure link. Not only this, it is also more cost effective to repair these bridges now than to be forced into building a new one.

This approach offers a wide range of benefits. With a global effort to curtail carbon emissions and to curb climate change, refurbishment offers a more environmentally sustainable option for property owners and end users. The Construction Products Association estimates for that every pound spent on new buildings, 50 times more carbon would be saved if resources were focused on improving existing buildings.

Repairing a building means the embodied energy of a project can be utilised. Given the large amount of effort, energy used to build a structure, not to mention the carbon emissions generated, it is important to use existing structures where possible. The unnecessary demolition and construction of a new project means more pollution is created and more waste sent to land fill.

To ensure this is minimised, it is important that the right products are available to carry out this work. It is vital that suppliers of specialist construction chemicals and concrete repair materials have the expertise, in-depth knowledge and experience of products, as well as excellent relationships with manufacturers, to ensure the right products are available to complete the refurbishment of concrete structures.

This approach will save a concrete car park in Ipswich, where specialist distributor BBM supplied Rapid Repair Mortar - Sikatop 121, Sikaset 45 – Sika Monotop 610 and 615. This was applied to the columns, walls, ramps as well as making structural alterations to the floor. The car park will be used to its full potential once all work is complete, avoiding many tonnes of material going to land fill and preventing the unnecessary manufacture of more concrete, emitting potentially thousands of tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere.

By using the expertise of specialist suppliers the construction sector can utilise trust and flexible solutions to meeting the UK’s housing needs. At the moment, more than 41,000 homes currently stand empty, but by prioritising refurbishment over demolition, we can extend the useful lifetime of a building and contribute towards the regeneration agenda. This will reduce unnecessary waste, slash carbon emissions and importantly improve the bottom line.

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