Everyone love personification....
The Italian firm Italcementi revealed TX active concrete in 2008, an environment friendly development 10 years in the making. Specifically, it is cement mixed with an agent called a photo-catalyzer, titanium dioxide, that speeds up the natural process of breaking down smog into its component parts when its exposed to sunlight. It has been implemented on several busy streets in Segrate, a town near Milan, and has reportedly reduced nitric oxides in the area by as much as 60%. Neat!
It has also been implemented here in Chicago, well Highland Park actually, in an set of townhouses designed to be affordable and "green". The concrete for this project was manufactured locally (in Aurora) by Unilock, a company approved for photocatalytic paving. Courtyards paved with this concrete are listed as one of the "environmental assets" utilized by the complex designers. The same properties that cause the concrete pavers to destroy atmospheric pollutants also makes them self-cleaning further preventing waste of resources. Additionally, they are permeable to allow rainwater to filter naturally back into the ground, rather running off, gathering pollutants, and discharging into nearby streams.
I think the best part about all of this, is that it can be implemented into affordable housing. Meaning, it will be accepted that much more easily as an alternative.
I think this makes a good example of how the technology;engineering effort, can make our enviroment more sustainable. I think ideas like this is great, since it does not requires to change people's behaviors to be sustainable.
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