Concrete is best! In the world of construction, the choice of building materials is very important. Determining the overall strength, durability, and sustainability of a structure comes with the materials that you use, and that’s where concrete comes in. Concrete is a widely used material over wood in Africa. Most architects, builders and home owners in Africa prefer it, and this has been the case for many years, because it carries many benefits that wood can’t offer.
Concrete is best known for it’s strength and durability, lasting for so many years unlike wood. Concrete is resistant to rot, pests, and decay, and best against harsh weathers. The structures made with concrete can withstand the extreme harsh weather conditions like hurricane, minor-earthquakes and floods. It also provides a longer lifespan for building reducing that back and forth of maintenance and repairs.
Concrete structures can survive extreme weather conditions, including hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods. The strength concrete displays provide a longer lifespan for buildings, reducing the need for frequent maintenance and repairs as already mentioned above. One of the significant advantages of using concrete over wood is its fire resistance competence. While wood is highly flammable, concrete is not, and does not contribute to the spread of fires. where fire safety is a concern, such as residential buildings, commercial complexes, and industrial facilities.
Concrete is also an eco-friendly building material with a lower environmental impact compared to wood. using concrete reduces the demand for timber helping to conserve natural resources. There are systems used to evaluate buildings after all construction is done. As demonstrated by Sephaku Cement, Discovery Head Office – Sandton Johannesburg and Cintocare Hospital, Menlyn Main Pretoria are some of the concrete buildings that have been green star rated in South Africa. To achieve this rating Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) assesses and evaluates the building from inception and the green measures put in place and rates it for certification.
We totally love the fact that concrete offers architects and builder a flexible moment of design, to play with shapes and sizes, creating aesthetically pleasing infrastructures, because that’s what the modern world or generation is about now, from residential developments to commercial.
All this makes concrete an ideal choice for structures over wood. The benefits of using concrete over wood in construction are overflowing, as compared to wood. With superior strength, durability, fire resistance, and environmental sustainability being key features, you are set for life with concrete.
