Transparent concrete

The transparent/light-transmitting concrete or translucent concrete is made with built-in optical fibers (about 4 percent). This Transparent Concrete is, strictly speaking, semi-transparent. Its formulation is a trade secret. It is a combination of optical fibers and fine concrete. Thousands of optical fibers run side by side transmitting light between the two surfaces of the concrete element. The fibers, due to their small size, blend into concrete forming a third, new material. In theory, a wall structure created out of translucent concrete blocks can be a couple of meters thick as the fibers work almost without any loss in light up till 20 meters. Moreover, the blocks are load-bearing and provide the same effect with both natural and artificial light. The shadows on the lighter side will appear with sharp outlines on the darker one. Even the colors remain the same! This special effect will transform the interior appearance of concrete buildings by making them feel light and airy rather than dark and heavy.

The translucent Concrete blocks are produced keeping aesthetics in view. In fact all sizes of pre-cast concrete are possible: from small bricks, to façade plates or passable paving stones. The diameter of the fiber can be chosen from 2 micro- to 2 millimeters. The technique of making translucent concrete blocks can differ according to the needs of the project: from a slight “diffuse” aesthetic to a certain grid or even a logo. Translucent concrete is a high density concrete – as the aggregates is chosen according to the extremely fine diameter of the fibers. Translucent concrete elements are joined together through splicing or agglutinating or in conjunction with any common framework. Structures of extraordinary beauty and innovation can thus be created. Translucent concrete is the first step to what might become the building material of the future.

A company known as SCHOTT in Mainz, Germanywww.schott.com/fiberoptics supplies light optical fibers for this application. Please contact: . Some websites on light-transmitting concrete: http://www.litracon.hu/ or http://www.andreasbittis.de/

Translucent Concrete: Watch a video

Energy efficiency in buildings and cities

Sustainable energy consumption, the use of renewable energies, energy efficiency and the reduction of CO₂ emissions are the current challenges that cities and communities must overcome if they want to achieve the ambitious energy and climate targets if they want to achieve the set out by the EU in their EU 2020 strategy. By the year 2020, the European Commission wants to cut CO₂ emissions by 20 per cent, increase the share of renewable energies to 20 per cent and improve energy efficiency by 20 per cent.

Under the CONCERTO project, a total of 1,830000 square metres of building space has been newly constructed or renovated to date, delivering a saving of 530,000 tons of CO₂. All projects share a common goal: to reduce CO₂ emissions in the most cost-effective manner while at the same time improving quality of life in the urban environment.

The monitoring of technological data, the evaluation of demonstration projects, the transfer of knowledge and the information campaign will be conducted over the next two years by Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum (SEZ) and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The analysis of the projects and the experience gained from them form the basis for future urban development projects, particularly for future projects of the EU's Smart Cities and Communities Initiative.

Ref: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (2011, September 28). Energy efficiency in building and cities. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 29, 2011

*