Lecture

Concrete: Care and Cultural Value

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Description

This lecture discusses the significance of concrete as a ubiquitous material in modern infrastructure. It highlights how concrete, while essential, often goes unnoticed despite being the second most used material on Earth after water. The instructor emphasizes the environmental impact of concrete production, particularly its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. The lecture also addresses the challenges of maintaining concrete structures, which are vulnerable to decay and require ongoing repair. The importance of recognizing the cultural and material value of existing buildings is stressed, advocating for a shift in perspective towards viewing buildings as evolving entities that require care and attention. The instructor calls for practices that honor the heritage of concrete structures while adapting them to contemporary needs, urging a more sustainable approach to construction and maintenance. The discussion includes the ecological consequences of extracting materials for concrete and the necessity of valuing and preserving the built environment for future generations.

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Environmental science

Climate: Climate change mitigation

Environmental studies: Topics in environmental studies

Related concepts (32)

Greenhouse gas emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions (abbreviated as GHG emissions) from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Carbon dioxide (), from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, is one of the most important factors in causing climate change. The largest emitters are China followed by the US, although the United States has higher emissions per capita. The main producers fueling the emissions globally are large oil and gas companies.

Natural resource

Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest, and cultural value. On Earth, it includes sunlight, atmosphere, water, land, all minerals along with all vegetation, and wildlife. Natural resources are part of humanity's natural heritage or protected in nature reserves. Particular areas (such as the rainforest in Fatu-Hiva) often feature biodiversity and geodiversity in their ecosystems.

Sustainability

Sustainability is a social goal for people to co-exist on Earth over a long time. Specific definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time. Experts often describe sustainability as having three dimensions (or pillars): environmental, economic, and social, and many publications emphasize the environmental dimension. In everyday use, sustainability often focuses on countering major environmental problems, including climate change, loss of biodiversity, loss of ecosystem services, land degradation, and air and water pollution.

Carbon capture and storage

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a process in which a relatively pure stream of carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial sources is separated, treated and transported to a long-term storage location. For example, the carbon dioxide stream that is to be captured can result from burning fossil fuels or biomass. Usually the CO2 is captured from large point sources, such as a chemical plant or biomass plant, and then stored in an underground geological formation. The aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thus mitigate climate change.

Direct air capture

Direct air capture (DAC) is the use of chemical or physical processes to extract carbon dioxide directly from the ambient air. If the extracted is then sequestered in safe long-term storage (called direct air carbon capture and sequestration (DACCS)), the overall process will achieve carbon dioxide removal and be a "negative emissions technology" (NET). As of 2022, DAC has yet to become profitable because the cost of using DAC to sequester carbon dioxide is several times the carbon price.

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