UKC

Just watching Grand Designs. They've now used the word 'eco-friendly' about 50 times for their 'Limecrete' floor slab. Hmmmmm. Dig up your hill, burn the lime, (bit like you do with ordinary cement), but charge £15k over the odds for a slab of it. Also let your kids play in the highly corrosive (but eco-friendly) white dust.
I'm in the wrong business...

In reply to Ridge: Eco-friendly? Lime production gives off huge quantities of CO2 thus increasing global warming.

In reply to Ridge:

Plus if laid at the wrong time of year takes around 3 months to set as well.........So much for a quick build and within budget.........

In reply to johnl:

the program said lime was 'green' because it absorbs co2 when it sets- so that's ok then

In reply to malk: I suppose that would make it more neutral than green then as it wouldn't absorb more than it gave off when being produced.

In reply to johnl: Hmm, if everything were 'neutral' we'd be green enough!

In reply to Ridge: it's greener than concrete, that was the point they were making...

In reply to Ian Hill:

Strange one this week, not sure who was to blame though. Think the architect may have been out of her depth with her choice of materials. End of the day she recommended these materials to her clients as a green option, but seemed to distant herself when things did not go to plan. Not a whole picture but could see why the owners/clients were not happy with the build especially with the limecrete.

In reply to Ian Hill: wood from a sustainable source would be greener.

In reply to johnl:

For green alternatives to concrete you want some rammed earth; some clay, silt and sand, compact it all down, job done. Anyone who says it doesn't last very long might like to take a look at the Great Wall of China or the Potala Palace in Tibet.

In reply to jimbo g: Actually the greenest floor I ever came across was in a bothy on Hoy. It was peat, warm, comfy to sleep on and presumably didn't cost a penny.

In reply to Ian Hill:

I'd be interested to see the figures on that. Lime's a major constituent of cement, plus (IIRC) gypsum and silica. If they've upped the amount of a quarried then burnt material, and reduced the quantities of quarried only material, then it's hard to see how. If you then factor in hauling all those bags of lime, the number of journies made by the teams of builders in vans as opposed to a quick pour of readymix, plus all that hydrated lime blowing about, it's hard to see how much more 'friendly' it can be.
As for cost, no doubt a stupidly inflated price to begin with, and then to go 15k over that for a floor.....

In reply to Ridge:

Think the architects attitude was a bit rubbish, selecting "green" limecrete for the base and a lime screed for the finish, yet without seeming to source the expertise to actually lay these materials, just relying on the builders and clients to get on with it.

But judging by some of the architects that have appeared on GD, it does seem a fairly common trait, or am I missing how much responsibility the architect has?

In reply to Ridge:The mixer men should have worn mask's, lime burns, health and safety...

Stu