The benefits and application of green concrete towards sustainable built environment: A case study within Kuala Selangor area

Abstract

Environmental issues have become a global concern as it is getting serious and worse which eventually brings unforeseeable destructive impacts. The construction industry is regarded as one of the main contributors to this issue. Concrete that is used in construction is known as one of the most widely used materials on the earth, which on the other hand, poses a significant environmental issue. About 8 – 10% of carbon dioxide emissions are generated by the cement industry. In addition, greenhouse gases are released to the environment when natural aggregates are crushed and heated at elevated temperatures, which directly intensifies environmental burdens. To tackle the issue from the fundamental aspect, green concrete is introduced into the Malaysian construction industry. With an aim to promote green concrete application in the construction industry, this paper will achieve two objectives which include (i) to identify the benefits of green concrete to the environment (ii) to discuss the application of green concrete in construction projects. The primary data collection involves 87 sets of questionnaire survey which is distributed to the contractor’s company. The research findings revealed the benefits of green concrete (i.e., reducing waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and conserving natural resources) and it was found only 24 respondents are having experience in green concrete application.