Super concrete? the waiting game

Blockwork is going up at the front of the house and the formwork and reinforcing to the rear is ready and waiting for the all-clear from our concrete suppliers to include the reactive magnesia additive. This extra ingredient, in use in NSW and Victoria, reduces the production of carbon dioxide in the cement manufacturing process and can reabsorb CO2 during the carbonation process, reducing the carbon footprint. Additionally the result is a harder, higher quality product.

Finer and doubled up reinforcement was necessary for the polished concrete floors - fortunately the steel is over 95% recycled content.

One neighbour's house is safely supported by a new retaining wall, soon to be faced with local bluestone. Recycled concrete aggregate has been used for backfill to the wall and for the substrate to the next, lower concrete slab. A mass concrete and bluestone wall to the east will ensure the timber house continues to stand.

The First Pour

The first slab pour occurred this morning before a light sprinkling from the sky. High flyash content cement in the mix but we are hoping to incorporate crushed, recycled concrete in the next two slab pours if a concrete supplier will come to the party. This is being used in Victoria but has not yet caught on in Queensland.














Coloured aggregate has been sprinkled along the entry slab to tie in with the future polished internal and pool terrace slabs.

Blockwork by a small, local manufacturer is taking shape, forming the platform for the river terrace slab and small plunge pool.

Front preparations

The platform for the front of the house has now been made. The "gateway" will become the space for the 25,000L modular underground water storage.

A toilet has been constructed from recycled materials from the old house to replace the portaloo.

Big concrete pour

Hard work by the Peagram Builders team pouring the footings before dark clouds and a rainbow.

Footings in place

Cages in place

Lower spaces are beginning to take shape, outlined by the footing trenches and their 95+% recycled content steel cages. The concrete pour is planned for tomorrow. Currently, the best recycled content concrete we can obtain is 30% flyash cement mix. We would like to use recycled aggregate but concrete suppliers are not keen to do this. The race is on to find the greenest possible concrete block for the next stage of work. We are hoping to work with local manufacturers of blockwork with some innovative ingredients.

Although we have had to install pvc for the initial drainage, we hope to work with a company who supplies push-fit polypropylene pipe for any further waste pipes. Polypropylene has far better environmental credentials than toxic pvc.

7. Earth

The platforms for the building have been prepared. Surplus rich alluvial soil, unable to be used on-site for landscaping, has been sent the properties of several very keen gardeners in Brisbane and to a landscaping company. The headaches of coordinating the spaghetti of rainwater, mains water, greywater, treated greywater and black water have begun.