Resource World Magazine

j u n e / j u l y 2 0 1 5 www.resourceworld.com 51 P aul Hargest, President of the Ontario-based Canadian Concrete Masonry Producers Association, says concrete blocks are a safer construction material than wood, especially in case of a fire. "Experience shows us, time and again, that only genuinely fire- proof materials, like concrete block, stop fire," Hargest said. Concrete is made from aggregates, namely sand and gravel as well as cement which is typically made from limestone, silica, iron, aluminium and gypsum. During the concrete production stage, chemicals called admixtures are sometimes added to trap air, remove water, change the viscosity, and alter other perfor- mance properties. Producers enhance the bonding process of cement at the concrete production stage with supplementary cementing materials which come from industrial waste streams. Because limestone is the main ingredient in cement, most cement facilities are located on or near a limestone quarry. Depending on the geology of the region, most of the additional material may be available in the same quarry. As an example of concrete's ability to withstand fire, Hargest cites the January 2014 fire that broke out at the Résidence du Havre, a nursing home in a small town in eastern Québec. The fire killed 32 people and injured 15. "It was a concrete block wall that stopped the blaze and saved part of the home, sparing the residents within," he said. Hargest says building safe structures in Canada is being ham- pered by what he calls a never-ending quest for cost-efficiency and ease of use. "The issue of building codes remains the ele- phant in the room that, for reasons of money and politics, people are unwilling to address," he said. "The Résidence du Havre was built to code, that is, the provincial building codes that set mini- mum standards for construction. But is that good enough?" Hargest asks, "Why would anybody consider moving their loved ones into a home built to minimum standards – a home designed not to withstand fire, but designed for an exit strategy? You may or may not know that when building materials are con- sidered to be up to code, it generally means they are intended not to prevent or stop fire, but to allow people time to get out." Hargest says that if the people in question are elderly and are not as mobile as they once were, it could take a long time to evacuate the building they're in. "Too long, as the residents of L'Isle-Verte found out all too well," he said. "Wood and drywall simply can't hold back a blaze of that size – concrete block can." In addition to the fact that some buildings could be fire haz- ards, there are also concerns related to water damage, insects, and penetrating objects. "All of which is not to say that build- ing codes should stifle innovation," Hargest said. "Indeed, many code changes are positive, and encourage forward-thinking construction." But first and foremost, he said, buildings must be constructed with people in mind. "And that means not cutting corners with today's minimum code standards, but building practically and safely for the real world," he said. Hargest says the Canadian Concrete Masonry Producers Association is a proponent of a concept called balanced design. "Balanced design combines four basic principles of good building construction," he said. The principles of balanced design are: Education – providing instruction on fire prevention, safety and rapid exits Detection – smoke and heat alarms and other active systems Suppression – sprinklers Containment – fire-resistant, non-com- bustible masonry walls that contain and prevent the spread of fire. "Studies have shown that the best fire protection is provided through this bal- anced design approach," Hargest said. n Concrete blocks make for safer buildings assOCiatiOn president presents a Case fOr tHe use Of COnCrete MasOnry BLOCks by Peter Caulfield MININGWORLD

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