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Environmental problems in the production of building materials. Ecological characteristics of building materials Ecology of production of building materials and products

Baltic State Fishing Fleet Academy

Transport faculty

Department of Defense in emergency situations

Topic: " Environmental risks in the production of building materials"

Completed by: Krupnova A.S.

Tosunova D.D.

Group ZChS - 32

Kaliningrad 2009

Goal and tasks

The goal is to determine the environmental risk for environment and a person.

1. Determine the enterprises related to the construction industry and located on the territory of the Kaliningrad region

2. To identify explosives emitted into the air during the production of building materials by enterprises of the Kaliningrad region

3. Determine the volume of emissions from the enterprises of the construction industry in the Kaliningrad region

4. Conduct a study at one of the enterprises of the Kaliningrad region of the construction industry

5. Determine Negative consequences for the environment and humans when the standards are exceeded due to explosive emissions into the atmosphere

List of enterprises of the Kaliningrad region

1. Plant "Reinforced Concrete Products - 1" settlement Pribrezhny, Zavodskaya st., 11

2. Plant "Reinforced Concrete Products - 2" Mukomolnaya St., 14

3. Brick factory "Tchaikovsky" Pravdinsky district, Zheleznodorozhny settlement, Kirpichnaya street, 3

4. Asphalt-concrete plant Dvinskaya str., 93

5. OOO Baltkeramika, Zavodskaya st., 11

6. OOO "Ecoblock" Small Isakovo, Guryevskaya st., 1

7. LLC "Kosmoblok" Baltic highway, 1

Production of building materials and harmful substances released into the atmosphere during their production

Concrete production

Concrete is an artificial stone obtained by mixing cement, gravel and water.

The components are poured into a concrete mixer and at the same time water is fed into it.

After mixing, the starting materials form a plastic mixture similar to a heavy liquid. Therefore, freshly prepared concrete is not called concrete, but concrete mix. Only after a while the mixture hardens and turns into a stone, i.e. concrete.

Reinforced concrete is concrete reinforced with structural steel.

Main pollutants: oxides of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur; hydrocarbons; inorganic dust

asphalt production

Asphalt is a mixture of bitumen (60-75% in natural and 13-60% in artificial) with minerals (limestone, sandstone, etc.). Used in a mixture with sand, gravel, crushed stone for the construction of highways, as a roofing, hydro- and electrical insulating material, for the preparation of putties, adhesives.

Classical asphalt concrete consists of crushed stone, sand, mineral powder (filler) and bitumen binder (bitumen, polymer-bitumen binder).

Main pollutants: lead and its inorganic compounds

nitrogen oxides; soot; sulfurous anhydride (sulfur dioxide - SO2); carbon monoxide (CO); saturated hydrocarbons C12 -C19; oil ash; inorganic dust (SiO2 > 70%) Dinas and others; inorganic dust (SiO2 = 20-70%) cement, fireclay, etc.; inorganic dust (SiO2<20 %) известняк и др.

Brick production

Ceramic brick - a brick obtained by firing clays and their mixtures in a kiln.

Ceramic bricks are made from clay, most often red, and at the end of production they are fired at a working temperature in a kiln up to 1000°C.

There are three ways to prepare ceramic bricks:

The first and most common is the plastic method: the clay mass (with a moisture content of 17-30%) is squeezed out of a belt press, and then fired.

The second method is distinguished by the preparation of raw material - it is formed from a clay mass with a moisture content of 8 - 10% by strong pressing.

The technology for the production of bricks by the method of rigid extrusion provides for the formation of bricks on a belt press at a clay moisture content of 12-14%. The molded brick has high strength, therefore, immediately after cutting, it is placed on a firing trolley, on which the brick drying process takes place.

Production of gas silicate blocks

The production of aerated concrete involves the introduction of substances that emit gas during chemical interaction with cement and lime, and aluminum powder or paste acts as a blowing agent. According to the HEBEL aerated concrete production technology, the raw mixture of quartz sand, lime, cement, after swelling, undergoes subsequent autoclave treatment at a temperature of 180 degrees and a pressure of about 14 bar. Numerous pores 1–3 mm in size are formed in the resulting mass, which give the material properties such as thermal insulation, frost resistance and lightness.

Main pollutants: oxides of silicon, aluminum, nitrogen, carbon.

Production of foam concrete blocks

The production of foam blocks is based on the technology of obtaining ready-made foam concrete blocks as a result of hardening of a solution consisting of cement, sand, water and foam. In the production of foam blocks, the following methods are used: pouring foam concrete into cassette metal molds and removing finished foam blocks manually, pouring large arrays and cutting them into blocks and pouring non-separable cassette molds with subsequent automatic stripping.

Main pollutants: oxides of silicon, nitrogen, carbon; heavy metal compounds; aerosols and particulate matter.

Table 1. Emissions from the construction industry into the atmosphere in 2003

JSC "Plant ZHBI-2" is a single modern largest complex in Kaliningrad and the region for the production of concrete and reinforced concrete products (concrete products), ready-mixed concrete, building mortars for various purposes, reinforcing meshes, frames.

Consider the environmental risk associated with environmental pollution and harmful effects on people.

Table 2

Name of pollutant	Total emission for 2008, t/year
Vanadium pentoxide
iron oxide
Manganese and its compounds
nitrogen dioxide
nitrogen oxide

Sulfur dioxide
hydrogen sulfide
carbon monoxide
Fluorine gaseous compounds
Inorganic fluorides. Poor solution.

Benzopyrene


White Spirit
Limit hydrocarbons C12 - C19
emulson
suspended solids
Dust inorganic, contain. 70 - 20% silica
Dust abrasive
wood dust
Fluorine gaseous compounds
including vehicles
nitrogen dioxide
nitrogen oxide

Sulfur dioxide
Carbon oxide


Total	4,098987
Including:

liquid and gaseous

Table 3. Waste generation standards for reinforced concrete products - 2

Name	Hazard Class	Annual norm, t/year	2008
welding slag
Used abrasive wheels and their scrap
Lead batteries
Cleaning material contaminated with oils
Waste of solid production materials contaminated with oil and mineral fat products
Used oils
Waste concrete mixture containing dust< 30%
Remains and cinders of steel welding electrodes
Steel scrap unsorted
Steel shavings uncontaminated.
Wood waste from natural pure wood
Sawdust natural pure wood
Natural clean wood shavings

Table 4. Background concentration of pollutants around reinforced concrete products - 2

Predicting the risk of reflex effects from the construction industry

For nitrogen dioxide: 2nd class.

Prob=-5.51+7.49lg(0.15/0.085)=-3.66

For dust: 3rd class.

Prob=-2.35+3.73lg(0.39/0.3)=-1.92

For nitric oxide: 3rd class.

Prob=-2.35+3.73lg(0.04/0.4)=-6.08

For carbon monoxide: 4th class.

Prob=-1.41+2.33lg(3.1/5)=-1.89

conclusions

On the basis of the conducted research, it can be concluded:

1. If the emission standards for carbon monoxide and dust at reinforced concrete products - 2 are exceeded, 297 and 278 people out of 10,000 will suffer, respectively.

2. When exposed to carbon monoxide, the human body may develop oxygen deficiency, disruption of cellular respiration and death of the body (at a concentration of 1% for several minutes), heart attacks.

3. When exposed to inorganic dust on the body, the development of pulmonary diseases and inflammatory processes in them, a decrease in ventilation capacity and lung capacity, damage to the mucous membranes of the eyes, upper respiratory tract, skin irritation, increased mortality from lung and intestinal cancer, increased incidence of tonsillitis, pharyngitis , rhinitis.

Baltic State Fishing Fleet Academy

Transport faculty

Department of Emergency Protection

Topic: "Environmental risks in the production of building materials"

Completed by: Krupnova A.S.

Tosunova D.D.

Group ZChS - 32

Kaliningrad 2009

Goal and tasks

The goal is to determine the environmental risk for the environment and humans.

1. Determine the enterprises related to the construction industry and located on the territory of the Kaliningrad region

2. To identify explosives emitted into the air during the production of building materials by enterprises of the Kaliningrad region

3. Determine the volume of emissions from the enterprises of the construction industry in the Kaliningrad region

4. Conduct a study at one of the enterprises of the Kaliningrad region of the construction industry

5. Determine the negative consequences for the environment and humans if the standards are exceeded due to explosive emissions into the atmosphere

List of enterprises of the Kaliningrad region

1. Plant "Reinforced Concrete Products - 1" Pribrezhny village, Zavodskaya st., 11

2. Plant "Reinforced Concrete Products - 2" Mukomolnaya St., 14

3. Brick factory "Tchaikovsky" Pravdinsky district, Zheleznodorozhny settlement, Kirpichnaya street, 3

4. Asphalt-concrete plant Dvinskaya str., 93

5. OOO Baltkeramika, Zavodskaya st., 11

6. OOO "Ecoblock" Small Isakovo, Guryevskaya st., 1

7. LLC "Kosmoblok" Baltic highway, 1

Production of building materials and harmful substances released into the atmosphere during their productionConcrete production

Concrete is an artificial stone obtained by mixing cement, gravel and water.

The components are poured into a concrete mixer and at the same time water is fed into it.

Reinforced concrete is concrete reinforced with structural steel.

Main pollutants: oxides of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur; hydrocarbons; inorganic dust

asphalt production

Classical asphalt concrete consists of crushed stone, sand, mineral powder (filler) and bitumen binder (bitumen, polymer-bitumen binder).

Main pollutants: lead and its inorganic compounds

nitrogen oxides; soot; sulfurous anhydride (sulfur dioxide - SO2); carbon monoxide (CO); saturated hydrocarbons C12-C19; oil ash; inorganic dust (SiO2 > 70%) Dinas and others; inorganic dust (SiO2 = 20-70%) cement, fireclay, etc.; inorganic dust (SiO2<20 %) известняк и др.

Brick production

Ceramic brick - a brick obtained by firing clays and their mixtures in a kiln.

Ceramic bricks are made from clay, most often red, and at the end of production they are fired at a working temperature in a kiln up to 1000°C.

There are three ways to prepare ceramic bricks:

The first and most common is the plastic method: the clay mass (with a moisture content of 17-30%) is squeezed out of a belt press, and then fired.

The second method is distinguished by the preparation of raw material - it is formed from a clay mass with a moisture content of 8 - 10% by strong pressing.

Production of gas silicate blocks

The production of aerated concrete involves the introduction of substances that emit gas during chemical interaction with cement and lime, and aluminum powder or paste acts as a blowing agent. According to the HEBEL aerated concrete production technology, the raw mixture of quartz sand, lime, cement, after swelling, undergoes subsequent autoclave treatment at a temperature of 180 degrees and a pressure of about 14 bar. Numerous pores 1-3 mm in size are formed in the resulting mass, which give the material properties such as thermal insulation, frost resistance and lightness.

Main pollutants: oxides of silicon, aluminum, nitrogen, carbon.

Production of foam concrete blocks

Main pollutants: oxides of silicon, nitrogen, carbon; heavy metal compounds; aerosols and particulate matter.

Table 1. Emissions from the construction industry into the atmosphere in 2003

Consider the environmental risk associated with environmental pollution and harmful effects on people.

Table 2

Name of pollutant	Total emission for 2008, t/year
Vanadium pentoxide
iron oxide
Manganese and its compounds
nitrogen dioxide
nitrogen oxide

Sulfur dioxide
hydrogen sulfide
carbon monoxide
Fluorine gaseous compounds
Inorganic fluorides. Poor solution.

Benzopyrene


White Spirit
Limit hydrocarbons С12 - С19
emulson
suspended solids
Dust inorganic, contain. 70 - 20% silica
Dust abrasive
wood dust
Fluorine gaseous compounds
including vehicles
nitrogen dioxide
nitrogen oxide

Sulfur dioxide
Carbon oxide


Total	4,098987
Including:

liquid and gaseous

Table 3. Waste generation standards for reinforced concrete products - 2

Name	Hazard Class	Annual norm, t/year	2008
welding slag
Used abrasive wheels and their scrap
Lead batteries
Cleaning material contaminated with oils
Waste of solid production materials contaminated with oil and mineral fat products
Used oils
Waste concrete mixture containing dust< 30%
Remains and cinders of steel welding electrodes
Steel scrap unsorted
Steel shavings uncontaminated.
Wood waste from natural pure wood
Sawdust natural pure wood
Natural clean wood shavings

Table 4. Background concentration of pollutants around reinforced concrete products - 2

Zagryahemollients	Wind speed, m/s

	Directions

	Concentration (С), mg/m3

nitrogen dioxide
Nitric oxide
carbon monoxide

Predicting the risk of reflex effects from the construction industry

For nitrogen dioxide: 2nd class.

Prob=-5.51+7.49lg(0.15/0.085)=-3.66

For dust: 3rd class.

Prob=-2.35+3.73lg(0.39/0.3)=-1.92

For nitric oxide: 3rd class.

Prob=-2.35+3.73lg(0.04/0.4)=-6.08

For carbon monoxide: 4th class.

Prob=-1.41+2.33lg(3.1/5)=-1.89

conclusions

On the basis of the conducted research, it can be concluded:

1. If the carbon monoxide and dust emission standards for reinforced concrete products - 2 are exceeded, 297 and 278 people out of 10,000, respectively, will suffer.

Recently, the requirements for environmental friendliness of housing have been increasing. High environmental properties of buildings allow you to sell housing faster and at higher prices. What buildings can be considered environmentally friendly? What building materials are used in their construction? How to improve the environmental friendliness of existing building materials?

International environmental standard

The term "ecology" in literal translation means "science of the house". The meaning of the adjective "environmental" derived from it has not yet been formally determined, although everyone intuitively understands what it means. The same thing happens with the concept of "eco-friendly home". Everyone would like to live in such a house, but, again, no one succeeds in briefly and clearly defining what it is. There is only a set of properties that an eco-friendly home should have.

To build an eco-friendly (in recent years, this term is increasingly replaced by "green") house, sustainable building materials are needed. And again, instead of a clear definition of such materials, they are usually characterized by a certain set of properties, the totality of which was determined by the community of specialists and formulated in the form of the requirements of the international standard EcoMaterial 1.0/2009 "Certification System for Environmentally Friendly Materials". If the properties of the building material meet the requirements of the standard, then the material may be entitled to be called environmentally friendly and a standard mark can be applied to it. EcoMaterial. Of course, to obtain such a right, the material must be reviewed by an independent organization EcoStandardgroup. Its experts consider the radiological, electromagnetic safety of the material, test the release of harmful substances during its operation, take into account the possibility of using waste to manufacture the material, and much more.

In general, experts evaluate the material according to 23 criteria, which are divided into three blocks:

Material safety for human health;

The impact of the material throughout its entire life cycle (from production to disposal) on the environment;

The environmental responsibility of the manufacturer of the material, which is understood as the measures taken by him to protect the environment.

Experts evaluate the environmental friendliness of the material in points. Required minimum to recognize the material as environmentally friendly - 85 points.

In Russia, the first "title" of EcoMaterial was awarded to ROCKWOOL thermal insulation, which was awarded 137 points. Following ROCKWOOL, the EcoMaterial standard received URSA GLASSWOOL staple fiber heat insulator. And URSA Pure One thermal and sound insulation material was awarded the highest rating - it was awarded the EcoMaterial Absolut certificate. (In the production of Pure One, phenol-formaldehyde binders are not used, it is pleasant to the touch (like cotton), does not prick, practically does not dust.) The Scientific Center for Children's Health of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (RAMS) recommends Pure One for use in the construction and reconstruction of preschool, general education and medical institutions. So far, this is the only insulating material based on mineral fiber that has received such a high environmental rating in the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

Note. In Russia, there are many building materials worthy of the EcoMaterial label. It's just that the manufacturers have not yet had time to present them in EcoStandard.

Ecological range of building materials

What materials can in principle be recognized as environmentally friendly? The following criteria are commonly used to evaluate environmental friendliness:

1) environmental friendliness of raw materials, that is, the absence of radioactive particles, toxic substances, harmful microorganisms in it;

2) reproducibility of raw materials in nature;

3) energy costs for the transformation of raw materials into finished building material (brick, block, package, wooden board, timber, etc.);

4) the impact of a building constructed using this material on the living conditions in it;

5) the durability of the material, its ability to resist destruction under the influence of atmospheric factors, microorganisms;

6) the possibility of recycling, that is, use after the demolition of the building.

The main influence on the environmental friendliness of a dwelling (a term understood on an intuitive level, but not yet defined) is provided by fences - walls, ceiling, floor. Walls have the greatest impact on the environmental friendliness, therefore, we will first of all consider the environmental friendliness of those building materials that are currently used for their construction.

At present, the international community of specialists has compiled the so-called series of environmental friendliness of wall building materials: the most environmentally friendly material is in the first place in this series, the less environmentally friendly material is in the second, etc. descending.

The oldest building materials - leaders in environmental friendliness

No matter how unusual, strange, unacceptable it may seem, in the first place among the environmental friendliness of wall materials is ... wheat straw. Moreover, some varieties of wheat began to be grown primarily not for the grain, but for the stem.

In Russia, "straw" construction has also begun. For example, the Moscow company Sereda builds thatched houses and organizes training seminars.

In second place in the ecological series is raw (unfired) clay. The majority of the world's population once lived in dwellings, the walls of which were built from this material, at least a quarter now lives. And, what is most interesting, the proportion of clay houses has begun to grow in recent years, primarily in the most developed countries.

Note. In developed countries, the construction of houses made of straw and adobe is rapidly increasing. Obviously, soon the fashion for such houses will come to Russia.

Recently, studies have been carried out on the health effects of mud dwellings. It has been reliably established that even a half-hour stay of a person in a "clay" room leads to an improvement in his well-being. Considering this, as well as the cheapness of clay, clay housing construction is now beginning to develop in many, and by no means the poorest, countries (England, Germany). And in the capital of Austria, Vienna, a seven-story (!) Building was built of clay.

In third place in the ecological series is wood. The environmental friendliness of dwellings from it does not require comments. However, even for our country, which is by no means treeless, wood is a very expensive building material, so not all Russians manage to live in wooden houses.

The desire to live in houses, at least approaching wooden ones in terms of environmental friendliness, encourages the use of wood in the form of waste - sawdust, shavings, crushed wood - for the production of wall materials. For this purpose, arbolite (literally translated from French-Greek "wooden stone"), obtained from a mixture of crushed stone with Portland cement, xylolite (also "wood-stone" in literal translation from Greek), obtained from a mixture of sawdust, other fine wood and magnesia cement.

Gypsum building materials

In fourth place in the ecological series is gypsum. In nature, it is in the form of powerful deposits found in many countries. Bricks and blocks can be cut out of these deposits, turning natural raw materials into ready-to-use wall building material in such an economical way. However, gypsum deposits, as a rule, have many cracks; it is not possible to cut bricks from them without flaws.

Therefore, gypsum is used as a raw material for building materials: its pieces in special devices called gypsum boilers are heated to 180 - 200 degrees. Celsius. At this temperature, three-quarters of the water contained in the mineral evaporates, and the resulting product, being ground, acquires the ability at ordinary temperature to react with water and become astringent, that is, to form an initially mobile mass called dough, spontaneously turning into a solid body. From gypsum dough, you can make bricks for walls, and plaster, and other products, and a wide variety of shapes.

The porous structure of gypsum stone contributes to its accelerated drying, which reduces the stabilization time of the temperature and humidity conditions in newly constructed buildings. Equilibrium moisture content of gypsum plaster mortars at 20 deg. Celsius and relative humidity of 50% is 4 - 10%, while cement plasters - more than 15%.

Gypsum materials create a favorable climate for the human body. In addition, they do not burn and therefore are used as fire barriers. The environmental friendliness of the final product and lower energy costs have led to the fact that in developed countries the amount of gypsum produced per inhabitant is about 60 kg, in Russia - 13 kg. In our country, Portland cement is more often used - an extremely anti-ecological binder. Many elements of a residential building that could be made from gypsum are made from reinforced concrete. Examples are non-bearing room partitions, screeds for leveling floors, plaster.

Moreover, even the walls of low-rise buildings can be erected not from reinforced concrete or brick, but from gypsum. Three-story houses in the city of Oktyabrsky (Bashkortostan), built on the eve of the Great Patriotic War for oil workers, can serve as proof of this. They have been successfully used so far.

In our country, since the middle of the last century, the volume of gypsum use has froze at a low level due to the poor quality of products manufactured on its basis, as well as due to the development of large-panel housing construction based on Portland cement.

About 20 years ago, the German industrial group Knauf “came” to Russia, building several factories, where they began to produce a wide range of excellent quality gypsum products from Russian natural gypsum. And the production of gypsum building materials in Russia began to grow at a rather high rate: if in 2000 the consumption of gypsum was about 2 million tons, then in 2007 it increased to 4.5 million tons.

Note. Currently, the volume of production of building materials from gypsum is rapidly increasing. Between 2000 and 2007 alone, gypsum production in Russia more than doubled.

"Knauf" for the first time in Russia began the production of gypsum dry building mixes - materials that complete the surface finishing process, give them a finished look. New for Russia building materials are steel and gypsum fiber boards - products obtained from a mixture of gypsum with crushed waste paper. These boards are an excellent material for finishing ceilings and walls. They are also suitable in floor constructions as a base for linoleum, carpets.

Today, Knauf manufactures in Russia a wide range of gypsum building materials - tongue-and-groove boards, gypsum plasterboards, various building mixtures, Knauf-Fireboard fire-retardant boards and much more. The Knauf group also has Russian competitors.

Gypsum would still be used in large volumes if its main drawback - low water resistance - were eliminated. Therefore, research is being carried out all over the world, including in Russia, aimed at increasing the water resistance of gypsum, and many ways have already been proposed to achieve this, but most of them are almost never implemented.

Today, the simplest way to increase the water resistance of gypsum products is to treat them with water repellents - substances that reduce both their water wettability and water absorption. Such water repellents are "Penta-811", "Penta-814", "Sofexil 40", "Sofexil - Protection M", "Protex - Hydro" and a number of others.

Russian scientists have created the so-called composite gypsum binders of low water demand. They are mixtures of gypsum binder with a hydraulic component. This component is obtained by joint activation (fine grinding) of Portland cement, amorphous silica and C-3 superplasticizer. They called it an organomineral modifier.

Gypsum products obtained from ordinary building gypsum with the addition of such a modifier are suitable for operation in an open atmosphere. The modifier is produced by Evolit LLC (Moscow). And the company "Petromiks" (St. Petersburg) started production of self-leveling leveler "Petromix GPS" for the floor. This is a dry mixture consisting of high-strength alpha gypsum grade G-16, microsilica and water repellent. A floor made from such a mixture is as durable as concrete, but cheaper and, of course, more environmentally friendly. It can withstand water flooding for four hours without destruction.

Innovative building materials under the names "Rotgypsum - MP", "Rotgypsum - MSH", "Rotgypsum - Plus" were developed by Prikamsk Innovation Company LLC. These materials have high hardening speed, strength, resistance to aggressive atmosphere. They are intended for the manufacture of gypsum products, with which you can give expressiveness to the facades of buildings, repair them.

Brick and lime are environmentally friendly

Ceramic brick(clay) in the ecological series put in fifth place. In the form of a finished product, this material is environmentally friendly, but in order to produce it, it is necessary to heat the raw material (clay) to a temperature of about 1000 degrees. Celsius and stand with it for several hours. Such a technology cannot be recognized as environmentally friendly in any way, because its implementation requires a lot of fuel, the combustion of which produces large amounts of nitrogen oxides, sulfur, carbon, soot, ash, and slag. It should also be noted that the reserves of clays that are suitable for making bricks are usually depleted near factories, so they often have to be imported hundreds of kilometers away, which does not at all add to the environmental friendliness of clay bricks.

However, there are ways to improve the environmental friendliness of this material. One of them is the addition of so-called fluxes (fluxes) to the clay, which lower the temperature of its sintering. A flux has already been found that reduces this temperature by almost 300 degrees. Celsius.

Another way is biotechnological. Back in the Soviet Union, the Leningrad scientist, Professor E.V. Vinogradov discovered that silicate bacteria (there are such in nature) are able to eat quartz impurities in clay, turning it from lean to oily.

In order to reduce thermal conductivity, bricks are made with voids inside. Such a brick is called hollow or hollow. And recently they learned how to make wall materials from clay, called "warm ceramics". It began to be produced in Russia in the form of large format blocks - up to 14 NF (1 NF is the normative format of a standard brick with a size of 250x120x65 mm) under the brand name POROTHERM.

Thermal conductivity POROTHERM - 0.13 - 0.21 W / mK (comparable indicators for wood) is achieved due to the formation of numerous vertical voids that are optimal in shape, and the volume of each of them is much less than in traditional hollow brick. (It is known that air retains heat the better, the smaller the volume of the enclosed space in which it is enclosed. Air retains heat best in cells whose diameter is close to the mean free path of molecules.) The total volume of voids reaches 53%, which is much higher than a hollow brick.

The second factor that ensures the high thermal insulation properties of POROTHERM is that the structure of its ceramic walls is porous. This is achieved by adding so-called burn-out additives - small particles of wood, expanded polystyrene, waste paper - to the initial clay raw material. During firing, they burn out, forming micropores inside the ceramic body.

silicate brick obtained by keeping in autoclaves at a temperature of about 180 degrees. Celsius for 10 - 12 hours "pre-bricks" - blanks obtained by pressing a mixture consisting of quartz sand (90%), slaked lime (8%) and water (2%). The total energy consumption for the production of sand-lime bricks is much lower than for clay bricks, and the end product is just as environmentally friendly.

However, until now, more ceramic bricks are produced in Russia than silicate bricks. The main disadvantages of silicate bricks are that they are less water resistant and can be destroyed during intense fires. However, hydrophobization makes it possible to make silicate brick more water-resistant, and special fire-fighting measures make it fire-resistant.

In sixth place in terms of environmental friendliness put lime. Such a generalizing name is currently understood to mean several binders that are similar in chemical composition, the main of which are quicklime and slaked lime. Their chemical composition can be displayed by the formulas CaO and Ca(OH), respectively. Quicklime is obtained by roasting limestone - a rock, the main component of which is calcite. Its chemical composition can be displayed by the formula CaCO.

Hydrated lime is used as a binder. It is obtained by mixing quicklime with water. Now lime is used for the production of silicate bricks, gas silicate. And 200 years ago, before the appearance of Portland cement, slaked lime was the main binder used for the construction of stone and brick structures for various purposes, and an excellent binder. Not only the "water supply, worked out by the slaves of Rome", but also the walls of fortifications, bridges, and centuries-old palaces have survived to this day.

Note. A common prejudice regarding the low environmental friendliness of sand-lime bricks is erroneous. In terms of environmental properties, silicate and ceramic bricks practically do not differ from each other.

One of the testimonies of the environmental friendliness of lime are Novgorod churches, built back in the days when there was no Portland cement. These structures surprise visitors with the fact that they breathe easily: during their construction, lime-sand mortars were used as masonry and plaster. They have high air and vapor permeability, microorganisms do not settle in them.

Methods for improving the environmental friendliness of concrete

The main material from which industrial enterprises, bridges, hydraulic structures, and residential buildings are currently being built is reinforced concrete. Providing buildings with high strength, reinforced concrete as a wall material for dwellings does not stand up to criticism from the standpoint of environmentalists. In terms of environmental friendliness, concrete and reinforced concrete are only in seventh place in the ecological range of building materials. The environmental friendliness of reinforced concrete dwellings is very accurately characterized by an excerpt from a United Nations document: "Prison is a place of deprivation of liberty, not health. Therefore, it is not recommended to build cells for prisoners from reinforced concrete." In addition, the production of Portland cement (a binder for concrete) is terribly energy intensive, accompanied by the release of huge amounts of heat, carbon dioxide, toxic nitrogen oxides, and sulfur into the atmosphere.

Concrete is by no means eternal: products made from it are gradually destroyed under the influence of an aggressive atmosphere and precipitation. Along with this, many concrete structures, such as the famous "Khrushchev", are obsolete. They are demolished, waste is generated - concrete breakage (in the EU countries, for example, 0.9 tons of concrete breakage per inhabitant is produced annually). Therefore, at present, a very important problem is the disposal of concrete waste. Its most effective direction is recycling, that is, the use of concrete scrap for the manufacture of new concrete products.

Recycling, first of all, makes it possible to replace inert aggregates in fresh concrete - sand and crushed stone, for the extraction of which quarries are needed - "ulcers in the body of the Earth." Concrete crusher makes it possible to save a certain amount of cement, because in a concrete product, even an old one, some of the cement grains with water did not react. During the processing of concrete crusher, it is subjected to crushing, during which the cement grains can be destroyed, exposing their unreacted part. Therefore, it is not without reason that concrete prepared using concrete breakers was called "green". They call it biopositive. In many countries, concrete recycling began to be stimulated financially.

Currently being sought ways to improve the environmental friendliness of reinforced concrete. The main direction here is the search for methods to reduce the proportion of Portland cement required for the production of a product, since it is it that makes the greatest anti-environmental "contribution".

One way is to use chemical additives- substances that, when introduced into the initial cement mixtures, increase the strength of concrete products. And if no increase in strength is required, then chemical additives can reduce the consumption of cement, which leads to an increase in the environmental friendliness of the product.

The second method, which began to develop actively in recent years, is the introduction of chemicals into cement mixtures, called nanomodifiers. They, unlike traditional chemical additives, must be introduced in negligible (tenths and even hundredths of a percent) quantities. Therefore, they are also called nanoadditives.

The third way is to reinforce concrete not with steel bar reinforcement, but fine fibers- carbon, polypropylene, polyamide, basalt. The uniform dispersion of such fibers in the original cement mixtures, called dispersed reinforcement, can significantly increase the strength of concrete products. And the amount of fibers needed to increase strength is small. Concrete reinforced with such fibers is more environmentally friendly than reinforced concrete both due to the lower consumption of Portland cement and because they do not contain steel reinforcement.

The fourth method is to reduce the consumption of cement by introducing into the initial mixture placeholders, which will occupy a large proportion of the volume in the product, leaving a smaller volume (and, consequently, mass) for the cement matrix.

Currently, the most effective of these aggregates is expanded polystyrene, used in the form of granules with a diameter of 2–5 mm. Concrete with such granules is called polystyrene concrete and is currently becoming one of the most popular wall materials, since it is light, has good thermal insulation properties and sufficient strength. Expanded polystyrene granules in it are protected from a possible fire by a non-combustible matrix, for the same reason they are not destroyed by sunlight. Blocks can be made from it, it is also applicable for monolithic construction.

Polystyrene concrete turned out to be such an effective building material that in 2010 a group of Moscow specialists was awarded the RF Government Prize in the field of science and technology "For the creation of a new generation of composite polystyrenes in the mass construction of energy-efficient buildings." Domestic polystyrene concrete, developed by the laureates of this award, turned out to be cheaper than the Austrian analogue - "Austroplan".

Fifth way - magnetic water treatment closure. Probably the main disadvantage of conventional Portland cement is that its grains react with water only to a third of their volume, and two-thirds remain an inert aggregate. Therefore, for a long time, searches are being made for ways to increase the depth of interaction of water with cement, that is, a more complete course of a chemical reaction between these substances. The positive effect of a magnetic field on this reaction has long been established. Until recently, the field of proper intensity could be created only with the help of electromagnets. Their use complicated the technology of manufacturing concrete products, did not always ensure reproducibility of results, required qualified service personnel, power consumption, and therefore did not receive universal recognition.

To date, the production of super-strong permanent magnets has been mastered in our country, so there is no need for electricity and special personnel. The reasons for which the effect of magnetization does not occur are also revealed. Therefore, now there is a favorable situation for the widespread introduction of this method of increasing the environmental friendliness of concrete production.

Often ordering repairs at home or in the office, we think about how long it will serve us, whether the builders will make a marriage, whether the design will be harmonious. And very rarely we ask ourselves, how will the use of certain building and finishing materials in the production of repairs or decoration affect health? They look fashionable and easy to clean, but they undermine our health. And sometimes they do it unnoticed. Some synthetic materials emit vapors into the surrounding space, consisting of various chemicals: phenol, formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, and the like, which contribute to the emergence of a whole bunch of chronic diseases.

It so happened that in our country, builders rarely think about where this or that material comes from and how it affects human health. Most construction organizations do not conduct environmental management in relation to construction and installation works GOST R ISO 14001-98 (ISO 14001), some do not even know about such standards.

Environmentally friendly materials, of course, cost more! Therefore, a situation arises that builders are chasing cheap and often low-quality materials from an environmental point of view. Builders are forced to use such materials at municipal construction sites, since officials usually follow the widespread principle “the cheaper the better for the state” when holding tenders, tenders and auctions for construction and repair work, they do not take into account what materials will be used to perform the work. And this means that in schools, kindergartens, hospitals, materials are used, which will be discussed below.

From an environmental point of view, building materials can be divided into harmonious and inharmonious. Inharmonious materials are called those materials, the presence of which has a negative impact on a person, and sometimes causes direct harm to health. Harmonious materials can be considered those that are widely distributed in nature. There is a persistent pattern between the prevalence of the material and its harmfulness and toxicity. For example: water, earth (soil) are not toxic, and such relatively rare elements as lead, mercury, cadmium are very dangerous for living organisms. According to this pattern, for the construction of a dwelling it is better to use raw materials that are widely used. In mild, humid climates in wooded areas, wood is, of course, the best material. In hot dry areas - soil and clay, in cold mountainous areas the most common building material is stone. Before the super-development of industry, builders naturally chose widespread, harmonious materials. Development technology has greatly expanded the range of materials and structures. The industrial approach to construction has led to the widespread use of expensive and artificial building materials. Now rarely anyone turns to traditional materials, if it is possible to use modern ones. However, it is still worth considering not only the aesthetic and practical side, it is necessary to pay attention to the environmental safety of the material. Portland cement at first glance seems like an ideal building material. Cured concrete turns out to be an extremely strong, durable, dense, heavy material, which is better not to be used for walls and ceilings of an individual house. The set cement mortar does not breathe, does not transmit atmospheric electrical waves, deflects or amplifies electromagnetic waves.

Reinforced concrete (metal-reinforced concrete) has even more undesirable characteristics for a home. The rods and meshes of the reinforcement of the reinforced concrete building shield electromagnetic radiation. Reinforced concrete "presses" on a person, in such structures people get tired faster. In part, this may be due to the fact that during the firing process, cement assimilates toxic substances, and rocks with an increased level of radiation serve as a filler for heavy concrete, structures cease to pass air, and an uncomfortable microclimate is established in the room.

The aggregate of the concrete mixture significantly affects its environmental performance. Heavy crushed granite, lava rocks with high density, in addition to high natural radiation, do not have pores, do not breathe, which (as mentioned above) is undesirable for wall structures).

Synthetic materials and plastics are increasingly used in residential construction, but for the most part they are not environmentally friendly materials. The use of metal in individual construction should be minimized, since metal structures distort the natural magnetic background and cosmic radiation.

Metallic paints are a classic example of a hazardous building material. As the solvent dries, the particles of the paint layer enter the air of the room, settling on objects, food, etc. In the 60s, there were cases of poisoning of children whose toys were coated with paints containing mercury and lead. The transition to alkyd-based paints removes the problems of heavy metals, but the question arises about the environmental friendliness of other chemical additives.

Synthetic paints give off a strong odor when dry. Drying occurs not only in the first hours and days, but also over a number of years. For example, one of the components of modern paints - polyvinyl chloride - decomposes at normal room temperature in contact with air and, especially in sunlight. Hydrochloride evaporates into the air, which, when inhaled, creates an acidic environment. Polyvinyl chloride easily penetrates the skin and has a harmful effect on the blood and liver. Vinyl tiles and linoleums emit toxic gases into the air as new layers of material are constantly deposited on the surface during the evaporation process. Polyurethane foam is an excellent thermal insulation material, but it turns out that its effect on the skin and eyes (when touched or in contact with dust) causes more than just irritation. When inhaled, particles of this material combine with protein in the lungs and over time change its structure, resulting in emphysema. Polyvinyl floor and wall coverings, synthetic paints are materials hazardous to health and the environment, their use in the home should be limited.

Dry plaster and glued wood are heavily saturated with synthetic adhesives. Polymers are used to enhance their water resistance and as adhesives. During the production of plastic, formaldehyde, phenolic and other chemical compounds remain in the material and gradually disappear, which have an adverse effect on the respiratory, blood and immune systems of a person who is in a room finished with synthetic materials. Static electricity accumulated on plastic surfaces not only affects the heart and nerves, but also increases the penetration of toxic synthetic compounds and their accumulation in the form of dust. Dust becomes a haven for germs. Synthetic plastic coatings contribute to the occurrence of pulmonary diseases (in particular, electrical pneumonia). In the spring, with high humidity, a person walking on a synthetic floor can generate an electrical charge of thousands of volts per 1 m3.

You should be very careful when choosing synthetic materials for your home. Plastic in the kitchen makes cleaning easier, but deteriorates from heat, acids and mechanical damage. Wall materials are resistant to decay and insects, but emit unpleasant gases when heated. In general, the use of organic, environmentally friendly materials of natural origin should be sought.

Unfortunately, there is very little information about the ecology of building and finishing materials. In addition, we want to make repairs quickly and cheaply, and manufacturers and sellers - to sell a lot and expensively, forgetting to talk about possible negative manifestations, show the product only from the good side. Of course, all finishing materials have an environmental certificate. But the fact is that the norms are indicated for one type of furniture or finishing material. There are a good dozen of them in the room. And the accumulating effect of the smallest particles of toxic substances from furniture and various finishing materials is almost impossible to calculate and cannot be regulated by any hygiene standards. So it turns out that each individual roll of wallpaper or linoleum has a legal certificate, and together they will create an atmosphere that negatively affects health. Of course, not all modern building and finishing materials are dangerous. You just need to know where and which of them can be used in order to minimize possible problems.

Danger number 1. Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde gas is the most toxic compound that is released from finishing materials.

Cause: Formaldehyde is found in the resin used to make chipboard (particleboard), fibreboard (hardboard), plywood (FRP), mastics, plasticizers, putties, and steel mold lubricants.

Possible consequences: Formaldehyde irritates mucous membranes and skin, has carcinogenic activity. Prolonged inhalation of formaldehyde vapors, especially in the warm season, can provoke the development of various skin diseases, visual impairment and respiratory diseases.

Alternative: When using panels made of chipboard, fiberboard, FRP in a children's room, it is necessary to pay attention to the presence of a laminating coating that prevents the release of formaldehyde into the environment. When buying panels, it is advisable to give preference to domestic products. The fact is that the Russian maximum permissible standards for formaldehyde are 10 times tougher than European ones. A good alternative to chipboard, fiberboard and FRP boards is MDF. The abbreviation MDF is a tracing paper from English - MDF - Medium Density Fiberboard (medium density fiberboard). When wood is heated, lignin is released, which acts as a binding element. It should be noted that the production of MDF panels does not use resins harmful to humans, so they can be used to decorate any premises, including children's rooms. In addition, they are distinguished from other finishing materials by a high level of sound absorption, sound and heat insulation.

Danger number 2. Phenol
Reason: The use of varnishes, paints and linoleum leads to a 10-fold excess of the maximum permissible concentration of phenol. Especially dangerous is the use of indoor varnishes and paints intended only for outdoor use, permitted for outdoor use.

Possible consequences: Damage to the kidneys, liver, changes in blood composition.

Alternative: For painting work, choose natural-based varnishes and paints. Of modern materials, alkyd or polyester paints have won a good reputation among hygienists, environmentalists and builders. They have a high degree of adhesion to metal and any kind of surfaces on a mineral and organic basis (wood, brick, concrete, fiberboard, plaster). During application and subsequent polymerization, such paints do not emit a toxic odor or highly toxic substances and have a short drying time compared to oil paints. Also, they are not as aggressive to human health as organic - water-based or, which is the same thing, water-dispersed paints. The service life of such coatings is determined primarily by the quality of the binder. At present, PVA and whitewash "talkers" have been replaced by modern paints, where the main components are latex and acrylic copolymers. Polyacrylate dispersions give the necessary wear resistance and hardness to the surface film formed during drying, and the presence of latex imparts the necessary elasticity to the system. But putting linoleum in a nursery is undesirable. Of course, the floor covered with linoleum is easy to use. But it is much safer to replace it with laminate, parquet or wood flooring.

Danger number 3. radioactive radiation
Quite often, in residential premises, an excess of radiation standards for RADON-222, the most dangerous radioactive inert gas for human health, is found.

Cause: Some building structures may include natural materials with radionuclide content far in excess of current radiation safety standards. Quite often, when repairing houses, a mixture of concrete and crushed granite is used, which has a high radiation background. In addition, some types of phosphorescent wallpaper (with elements glowing in the dark) that are currently common can be the cause of excess radioactive radiation.

Possible consequences: Oncological diseases, the risk of developing lung cancer is especially high.

Alternative: A mixture of concrete and crushed granite is often used by builders when restoring walls and floors. This is one of the cheapest materials. But in order not to pay for cheap health repairs later, it is advisable to use a variety of putties, plasters and hinged panels to restore walls and floors. And before sticking wallpaper and laying floors, it is desirable to cover all cemented surfaces with a thin layer of putty, which will reduce possible radiation radiation. Also, if possible, get rid of the dense reinforcing cage, which changes the level of natural radiation in the room. As for the wallpaper, high-quality phosphorescent wallpaper must be tested for the presence of radiation. Therefore, in large specialized stores, the risk of buying wallpaper - "pests" is minimized. But in various markets, quite “dangerous” rolls often come across. It is impossible to determine the quality and presence of background radiation on wallpaper without special instruments. Therefore, for your own safety, purchase finishing materials only in large specialized stores.

Danger number 4. Styrene molecules
Reason: The main sources of styrene release are thermal insulation foams, facing plastics, linoleum, as well as varnishes, paints and adhesives. In addition, the concentration of styrene in the air significantly increases the decoration of walls and ceilings with dry clapboard.

Possible consequences: Irritation of mucous membranes, eyes, headache, nausea, vasospasm.

Alternative: To reduce the concentration of styrene molecules in the air, absolute vapor barrier of the walls from the side of the premises is necessary. A good way to vapor barrier is to use vinyl wallpaper. To ensure thermal insulation, use only natural-based materials. Styrofoam is not recommended for use in a nursery. It is also undesirable to install suspended ceilings made of foam and plastic panels in the room where the baby lives. It is much safer to paint the ceiling with water-based (water-based) paint or paste over with paper wallpaper. In addition, try to minimize the amount of building material used. From the fact that you paint the battery with three layers of paint, beauty will not increase, and the concentration of styrene molecules in the air will increase significantly.

Danger number 5. Aerosols of heavy metals
The daily concentrations of many metals indoors significantly exceed their content in the atmospheric air. For lead, this difference is 2.3 times, cadmium - 3.2 times, chromium - 10%, copper - 29%.

Reason: Some types of wallpaper and carpets accumulate a huge amount of heavy metal aerosols. In addition, concrete, cement, putties and other materials with the addition of industrial waste are distinguished by a high content of heavy metals.

Possible consequences: Diseases of the cardiovascular system, liver, kidneys and allergic reactions.

Alternative: Try to redecorate the room at least once every five years with the replacement of wallpaper and baseboards. Heavy metal aerosols have the unpleasant property of accumulating over time. Therefore, the more often you change wallpaper and skirting boards, the cleaner the air in the room will be. Just before proceeding with the repair, carefully remove old materials (wallpaper, plaster). Some builders prefer to glue new wallpaper on top of old ones, explaining that this way they will stick better. In fact, they are driven by ordinary laziness, and not by the desire to make high-quality repairs. Well-prepared walls will not only provide cleaner air in the room, but the wallpaper on them will also hold up well.

In the nursery, it is undesirable to put carpet under the baseboard. You should always be able to wipe the floor underneath.

Danger number 6. PVC
PVC products are made from polyvinyl chloride, a dangerous poison that can damage the nervous system and cause cancer. The release of vinyl chloride into the environment increases even with slight heating.

Unfortunately, PVC is a very common plastic. You can find it everywhere. In an apartment, it is most often found in the form of linoleum (excluding some expensive brands), vinyl wallpaper, plastic window frames, plastic toys (from dolls to children's dental rings). Various types of packaging are also made from PVC, including for food products: bottles, bags, etc.

When buying something made of PVC, remember:
- To make PVC elastic, so-called plasticizers are often added to it - phthalates or phthalate esters, the entry of which into the body can cause damage to the liver and kidneys, a decrease in the protective properties of the body, infertility, cancer. PVC may also contain other hazardous substances: cadmium, chromium, lead, formaldehyde.

- PVC is especially dangerous when burned. It is known that when burning 1 kilogram of PVC, up to 50 milligrams of dioxins are formed. This is quite enough for the development of cancerous tumors in 50,000 laboratory animals.

— There are no safe technologies for PVC processing. It is virtually non-recyclable and goes to incinerators (ITW) or landfills. Dioxins, relentlessly produced by incinerators, are distributed over hundreds and thousands of kilometers.

- The production of one window from PVC leads to the formation of about 20 grams of toxic waste. And the renovation of the entire apartment using materials made of PVC entails the formation of 1 kg (!) of toxic waste.

“In one year, PVC plants emit several thousand tons of vinyl chloride into the atmosphere, endangering the health of workers and residents of nearby communities.

— PVC is also produced using chlorine, so during its manufacture and disposal, a large amount of dioxins, highly toxic substances that cause cancer and undermine the immune system, are released into the environment.

How to identify a PVC product?
In civilized countries, PVC goods are usually marked with a special marking - the number "3" surrounded by arrows. Some manufacturers just write PVC or Vinyl. In Russia, unfortunately, plastic goods are practically not marked. However, PVC can be distinguished by a number of features:
when the package is bent, a white stripe appears on the bend line;
PVC bottles are bluish or blue in color;
Another distinguishing feature of PVC containers is the seam on the bottom of the bottle with two symmetrical influxes.
Control and certification.
Only a system of hygienic and environmental certification can protect the average consumer from environmentally hazardous and low-quality construction products, which in our country has only begun to fully operate in recent years. Now in Russia it is legally prohibited to use materials in construction that do not have a special hygienic certificate. These materials include facing slabs made of natural stone, ceramic granite, slag concrete, crushed stone, sand, cement, brick and many others.
Hygienic assessment of products includes:
determination of the possible adverse effects of products on human health;
establishment of permissible areas and conditions for the use of products;
formation of requirements for the processes of production, storage, transportation, utilization of products that ensure safety for humans.

The hygienic certificate is issued by the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance Service.
When purchasing any building or finishing material, the buyer should ask the seller if the seller has a hygiene certificate for the product. Two, at first glance, completely identical rolls of linoleum or wallpaper, made by different manufacturers with slight changes in technology, can differ in the level of release of toxic substances by several tens of times. And only competent organizations are able to resolve the issue of their environmental safety.

Biopositivity of materials
Building materials have a great influence on the formation of the quality of the near environment of life. The concept of environmental friendliness of building materials is broader than their environmental friendliness.

Completely environmentally friendly (biopositive) include building materials from renewable natural resources that do not have a negative effect on humans (and even have a positive impact on human health), do not pollute the environment during their manufacture, require minimal energy consumption in the manufacturing process, are completely recyclable or decomposing after performing their functions like materials of living nature. Very few natural materials meet all these requirements: wood (and other plant materials - bamboo, reed, straw, etc.), wool, felt, leather, cork, coral sand and stones, natural silk and cotton, natural drying oil, natural rubber, natural adhesives, etc.

Conditionally environmentally friendly building materials can be considered materials obtained from minerals widely represented in the earth's crust, or almost completely recyclable materials (therefore, they experience a slight loss and, moreover, allow saving up to 80 ... 90% of energy for their production). These include products made of clay, glass, aluminum. The rest of the materials are not environmentally friendly, although they are used in construction (this includes plastic-based artificial materials, products that require significant energy consumption in their manufacture, etc.).

Eco-friendly materials are those materials that meet the principles of environmental friendliness: they use renewable resources in their manufacture, they are amenable to self-decomposition after performing functions without polluting the environment; as partially biopositive, fully recyclable materials can be considered, made from a mineral widely represented in the earth's crust (aluminum, silicon). The improvement of materials in the direction of their biopositivity will apparently be carried out both in accordance with modern trends (the use of recycled materials, reducing material consumption, increasing their durability, etc.), and in the direction of a more complete use of natural reproducible materials, the creation of new materials with desired properties and biosimilar materials that could be powered by energy.

The factors that affect the environmental safety of a person's home include the quality of building materials - what the house is made of. The functional purpose of a residential building is to meet the needs of a person in housing. Depending on the type of material from which the main load-bearing elements of residential buildings are made and their constructive solution, buildings are combined into the following groups:

Stone, especially capital, brick walls with a thickness of 2.5-3.5 bricks or brick with a reinforced concrete or metal frame, reinforced concrete and concrete floors;
The walls are large-block, the floors are reinforced concrete;
The walls are brick with a thickness of 1.5-2.5 bricks. Reinforced concrete, concrete or wood floors;
Walls - large-panel, reinforced concrete floors;
Lightweight masonry walls made of bricks, monolithic concrete, cinder concrete, reinforced concrete or concrete ceilings;
Large-block or lightweight masonry walls made of brick, monolithic concrete, cinder concrete, small cinder blocks, shell rock, wooden floors;
The walls and ceilings are mixed, wooden chopped or block-beamed;
Raw, prefabricated panel, frame-fill, etc.

It has been established that metals are the least desirable as a structural material, the next group includes concrete, stones with crystalline components, glass, various plastics, clay bricks, soft stones of sedimentary origin are more preferable. The best are materials of biogenic origin - wood, straw and other plant materials, unburned soil blocks, etc.

Now in urban construction, houses made of a set of reinforced concrete products with brick-monolithic enclosing structures, with a “wide step”, with free-planning and increased comfort apartments, improved heat and sound insulation, fire resistance and architectural and construction solutions that meet modern requirements are most widely used.

Concrete is one of the oldest building materials and is the most widely used building material today. Research and development of scientists give reason to believe that concrete and reinforced concrete will not give up their leading positions in the near future.

The building materials market is huge. New materials and technologies are constantly appearing, but often a person, before buying one or another, has no idea about the quality, composition and safety for his health.

Hazardous building materials include:
plywood, chipboard (chipboard), fibreboard (MDF) produced using phenol, formaldehyde and urea, decorative sheets and boards from polymer compositions;
vinyl and other types of self-adhesive wallpaper (synthetic-based films - isoplene, devilon, seinex, baseless polyvinyl chloride decorative films);
solid carpets made of synthetic fibers on an adhesive composition, linoleums based on polyvinyl chloride, synthetic tiles;
vinyl chloride, epoxy and other synthetic varnishes and paints;
plastic windows.

Wood and its derivatives are the most widespread biopositive building material, which makes it possible to obtain light, durable, non-combustible, non-rotting structures (with the help of special processing). A tree during its growth period is also a natural filter for pollution, releases substances useful to humans into the air, enriches the atmosphere with oxygen and the soil with humus, and creates niches for the existence of various animals. The forest used for the manufacture of building materials is fully restored, and the natural environment "does not notice" the removal of a small part of the forest. Modified wood is an excellent and fairly high-strength material that can be reinforced. Walls made of wood "breathe" and provide a favorable microclimate inside the premises. Therefore, wood can be considered one of the most promising biopositive building materials.

The next in terms of environmental friendliness are building materials and clay products: baked ceramic products (bricks, large-sized hollow stones for walls and floors, tiles, tiles, unbaked clay bricks mixed with straw and fishing line, etc.) - The least energy-intensive bricks made from dried clay in a mixture with straw reinforcing it, they have been used for many centuries in the construction of buildings of different heights in a dry climate or with reliable protection from moisture. A quarter of all the inhabitants of the Earth live in houses built from sun-dried mud bricks, and these buildings in countries with dry climates stand for hundreds of years.

The undoubted advantage of this building material is its complete recyclability, and the disassembled material can also be used as an additive to the soil for growing plants. It is interesting that two-three-story residential buildings made of dried clay have been successfully operated for many centuries in highly developed countries, for example, in France. The main problem of ensuring the durability of such buildings is protection from moisture with the help of a reliable roof and waterproofing from groundwater.

Among the non-renewable materials, aluminum and glass can be distinguished as almost completely (90%) recyclable materials, moreover, their re-manufacturing requires significantly less energy. Reducing energy consumption in the production of biopositive building materials is a very important task, as it allows not only to reduce their cost and reduce energy consumption, but also to pollute the environment less. So, in the primary production of 1 m3 of aluminum, a very large energy consumption is required - 7250 kW. h (for comparison, to obtain 1 m3 of cement, 1700 kWh is required, fibreboard - 800, brick - 500, aerated concrete - 450, wood - 180 kWh).

Such a high energy consumption, it would seem, makes aluminum a non-environmental material, however, when re-manufactured from scrap, energy costs will be about 600 kW. h, which allows us to consider aluminum an environmentally friendly material. It is necessary to gradually limit the use of building materials from non-renewable resources (cement, steel, concrete, reinforced concrete, plastics, etc.), which also require significant energy costs, are poorly recycled, do not allow creating a favorable microclimate in the premises, significantly pollute the environment when manufacturing. Each time you choose a building material, you need to compare options, taking into account the environmental friendliness of the materials and local experience.

The concept of environmental friendliness (biopositivity) of building materials also includes the impossibility of releasing harmful substances during the period of operation: for example, some natural stone materials (granite, syenite, porphyry) have an increased radioactive background; plastics or building materials with their use (fibreboard, linoleum, synthetic paints, synthetic floor and cladding tiles, various synthetic additives to concrete, mortar, synthetic adhesives, synthetic-based insulation, etc.) emit dangerous gases into indoor air for a long time ; asbestos-containing products, especially those subject to weathering with the release of asbestos fibers into the air, are recognized as unacceptable in a number of countries. All this can be very harmful to people in the premises, especially children.

It is impossible to choose completely sustainable materials for all building structures and finishes, except for small houses. Therefore, when choosing materials and comparing options, preference is given to more environmentally friendly materials (for example, clay bricks and ceramic products, gypsum-based materials, organic-based linoleum, paper-based or foam concrete insulation, wooden windows and doors, organic paints, etc.). ).

The impact of electric and magnetic fields on health:
Exposure (i.e. being exposed to something) to the effects of the fields occurs everywhere: at home, at work, at school, and in electrically powered vehicles. Wherever there are electrical wires, electric motors and electronic equipment, electric and magnetic fields are created.

Many people are similarly exposed to higher levels of fields, albeit for shorter periods of time, in their homes (through electric radiators, shavers, hair dryers and other household appliances, or stray currents due to imbalance in the building's electrical earthing system), at work (in certain industries and offices that require proximity to electrical and electronic equipment) or even while traveling on trains and other forms of transport powered by electricity.

The fields cause physiological changes such as slow heart rate and electroencephalogram (EEG) readings, as well as a wide variety of symptoms and ailments, mostly related to the skin and nervous system. There may be scattered lesions of the facial skin, such as redness, pinkness, roughness, fever, warmth, tingling sensations, dull pain and "tightness". Symptoms related to the nervous system may occur, such as headache, dizziness, fatigue and lightheadedness, tingling and tingling sensations in the extremities, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, profuse sweating, depression, and memory problems.

There are two possible mechanisms that may somehow be implicated in cancer activation and therefore deserve special attention. One of them is associated with a magnetic field-induced reduction in nocturnal melatonin levels, and the other is associated with the detection of magnetite crystals in human tissues.

From animal studies, it is known that melatonin, through its effect on the level of circulation of sex hormones, has an indirect oncostatic effect. Animal studies have also found that magnetic fields suppress the production of melatonin in the pineal gland. This finding suggests a theoretical mechanism for the marked increase in (for example) breast cancers that may be due to exposure to such fields. An alternative explanation for the increased risk of cancer has recently been proposed. Melatonin has been shown to be one of the most potent hydroxyl radical scavengers, and therefore the extent of the damage that free radicals can cause to RNA is markedly reduced by melatonin. If the level of melatonin is suppressed, for example, by a magnetic field, then RNA remains more vulnerable to oxidative attacks. This theory explains how the inhibition of melatonin by magnetic fields can lead to a higher incidence of cancer in any tissue.

But does the level of melatonin in human blood decrease when a person is exposed to weak magnetic fields? There are some indications that this may be the case, but this issue still requires further research. It has been known for some time that the ability of birds to navigate during seasonal migrations is mediated by the presence of magnetite crystals in their cells, which react to the Earth's magnetic field. Now, as discussed above, magnetite crystals have also been found in human cells at concentrations theoretically high enough to respond to weak magnetic fields. Thus, the role of magnetic iron crystals must be taken into account in all discussions about possible mechanisms that can be proposed to explain the potentially dangerous (harmful) effects of electric and magnetic fields on the human body.

General Tips:
In the first place, attention should be paid to how to avoid the influence of electromagnetic fields. The basic rule here is: protect, turn off and keep your distance!

An experienced professional, such as an electrician or a building biologist, can take measurements. Such specialists can give guidance on whether something needs to be changed or will do it themselves.

Keep your distance!
Electric and magnetic fields are very quickly released from the current source. The distance from the bed to electrical appliances and wires should be approximately 1-1.5 m. From the wall near which there is a cable (even hidden) or sockets, electric fields also emanate, even if no devices are working.
If possible, keep your head away from heat pipes and water pipes.
TV/computer
Televisions, receivers, video equipment and computers should not be in the bedroom.
Stay away from electrical appliances.
Remove the plug from the socket when the device is not in use.

Lamps
With a very high current alternating current, huge magnetic fields are created, which can have an effect on people located on another floor.
Transformers and dimmers must be disconnected from the network completely during the period when they are not in use. The so-called electronic transformers generate a frequency of 40 kHz and it is advisable not to use them at all.
home electrical appliances
Use as few electrical appliances and cables as possible.
Do not locate the bedroom near the wiring risers and protective shields.
There should not be wires near the wall near which the bed is located, and they should not be on the other side in the next room.
Discard the extension cord or, if necessary, use with as short a cord as possible.
Do not place electrical appliances near a wall if there is a bed on the other side of the same wall.

For all electrical appliances, there is a rule: after using them, the plug must be removed from the socket, because. This is the only way to stop the flow of current.

Use only regular telephones with cable attached. Cordless phones can cause strong high frequency fields.
Cell phones should not be in the bedroom.

Room planning.
Bedrooms and living rooms should be located as far as possible from the kitchen, laundry and boiler room.
Wiring risers and switchgears should not be located on the walls of living rooms or bedrooms.

When carrying out electrical installation, take care of grounding.
When running the cable, leave free space where you sleep or sit.
Do not place a boiler, washing machine, electric stove and other similar electrical appliances in close proximity to living quarters.

Moreover:
Remove heating pads from bed before bed.
Avoid electric underfloor heating if possible.