In 1905, Frank Lloyd Wright used reinforced concrete in the Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois-the first of such structures to be ever be built and was considered by architects around the world as the first modern building in the world. For the past 110 years, concrete would continue to be leveraged for worship, work and living spaces and other applications all around the world. Lately, concrete, wood and hot-rolled steel are seeing a rise in popularity for sustainable living and business activities across the globe. In a Wall Street Journal October 2015 survey of 100 U.S. home builders, nearly 80% of respondents said industrial-influenced design was already popular or becoming popular with just 7% of the builders surveyed thought it was a passing fad.
As we are living in Guam with the initial influences of Wright for protecting against the seasonal winds through our latitude, thanks in large part to American military engineers, concrete flooring as an option for home improvement seems to be one that has been often overlooked for its beauty, sustainability and economy. Concrete flooring gives you a durable, low maintenance floor that will last the life of your home and business-heck, many businesses on island have been using them to sustain their bottom lines for decades.
There is no question that concrete floors, when left exposed, conserve resources by functioning both as a foundation slab and finished floor. This eliminates the need for carpeting and other floor coverings that would eventually require replacement. In addition to conserving materials, concrete flooring offers many other environmental benefits, such as contributing to better energy efficiency and improving indoor air quality.
Concrete floors utilize sustainable materials. The predominant raw material for the cement in concrete is limestone, the most abundant mineral on earth and is the material our island sits on. Because of their thermal mass and ability to retain heat, concrete floors are ideal for passive solar home designs. In hot and tropical climates like those found in Micronesia, concrete floors shielded from the sun will stay cool longer and can actually help lower air-conditioning costs. An exposed concrete floor is often an economical alternative to other finish solutions such as hardwood flooring and tile. For new residential construction or commercial projects with site-cast concrete floor slabs, choosing to leave the concrete floors exposed can save big money over the life of the building. First, you don't have to buy and install an additional floor covering to put on top of the floor slab. In addition, the durability and low maintenance needs of concrete flooring will save you the recurring maintenance and replacement costs associated with less-enduring flooring materials, such as carpet and vinyl tile. In a typical home environment, concrete floors are very low-maintenance, requiring only periodic sweeping or wet mopping.
A darling of architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, for its versatile applications and honest good looks, polished concrete surfaces are enjoying something of a renaissance.
An recent article from The Concrete Network pointed out that when properly installed and sealed, a concrete floor should last a lifetime and will never need replacement. Few flooring materials can boast this same longevity. Carpet, tile and even wood floors eventually need replacement, which uses up resources and creates waste disposal problems.