By Jake Ables, director of concrete promotion, Silvi Materials When choosing a pavement surface for large-scale industrial facilities, there are several different factors that developers may want to consider. Chief among those factors, in the context of our current construction economy, is sustainability. Current trends in the Mid-Atlantic warehouse markets, for example, are pushing developers, contractors and suppliers towards sustainable construction practices. We have seen evidence of this with the implementation of environmental product declarations (EPDs) that disclose the global warming potential (GWP) of building materials on various construction projects. The purpose of these documents is to quantify the environmental impacts of building materials. As the push for sustainability increases, it behooves developers to look for sustainable value when and where they can find it. Life Cycle Thinking As the push for sustainability intensifies over the coming years, property developers will see their priorities adjust to compensate for changing market conditions. While costs will always be at the forefront of concerns for developers, sustainability is becoming an ever-higher priority. So what does that mean for developers? We believe it means a shifting mindset toward sustainable value over costs. Concrete paving provides the life cycle value that developers are seeking …
