Low-Carbon Concrete Paves Way to Healthier Homes

By Nidhi DhullReviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.Sep 24 2024

A recent study by Stanford researchers introduces a low-carbon flooring mix as a healthy solution to dirt floors common in some rural regions worldwide. While conventional concrete floors are easy to clean, they pose significant environmental hazards. In contrast, the proposed low-carbon concrete flooring offers an eco-friendly, sustainable solution, reducing the environmental impact without sacrificing practicality.

Background

Each year, approximately 1.7 billion children suffer from diarrheal diseases. In a 2012-2013 trial, researchers from Stanford School of Medicine studied the effects of sanitation, water, and hygiene interventions on health outcomes among low- and middle-income families in Bangladesh. The findings revealed that many common strategies—such as maintaining latrines and promoting handwashing—were not enough to protect children from illness.

These interventions were not only costly but also difficult for vulnerable communities to sustain. Moreover, an overlooked factor may have contributed to their limited effectiveness: the condition of the floors.

In rural Bangladesh, around 70 % of households have soil-packed floors. As young children crawl, eat, and play on these surfaces, they can easily ingest disease-causing parasites and traces of human waste.

One potential solution was to upgrade homes with concrete floors, which are easier to clean and could reduce pathogen transmission. However, while concrete floors may improve hygiene and health by reducing children’s exposure to contaminated soil, they carry potential environmental risks, particularly in terms of climate impact.

The Stanford Study

Cement, water, and a mixture of sand, gravel, or other aggregates make up the three primary components of all concrete blends. However, this versatile construction material comes at a high environmental cost, with cement production accounting for 5-10 % of global carbon emissions. In response, Stanford epidemiologists and engineers are working to develop a low-carbon concrete mix.

To create a low-emission substitute, the team is first investigating why concrete is effective at reducing pathogen transmission. Additionally, they are exploring the use of cost-effective materials that can be readily installed using existing tools and infrastructure in countries like Bangladesh.

One potential ingredient for low-emission cement is recycled fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion. When integrated into cement, the heavy metals in fly ash become inert, rendering it safe for household use. This concrete mix would not only be durable and affordable but also reduce emissions while repurposing hazardous materials that would otherwise end up in landfills.

To test these new materials, a doctoral student at the Blume Earthquake Engineering Center began experimenting with concrete tiles made from alternative “green” cement. These tiles were inoculated with pathogens like Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Ascaris suum, which are commonly found in the soil floors of homes in the study region. The survival of these pathogens on the tile surface was then examined, both with and without cleaning.

Initial Results and Future Studies

The Stanford team's initial experiments showed similar survival rates of E. coli and Ascaris suum on both conventional cement slabs and the alternative “green” fly ash slabs. This suggests that the low-carbon cement mix could be just as effective as traditional concrete in reducing disease transmission in homes.

Building on these findings, the research team is now conducting field trials, funded by the National Institutes of Health, to further investigate the impact of concrete floors on maternal and child health. In collaboration with the Village Education Research Center, a local NGO in Bangladesh, the team is installing low-carbon concrete floors in the homes of pregnant women in their second or third trimesters.

The health of the children in these households will be monitored for two years post-birth and compared with those born in homes with traditional soil-packed floors. In addition to assessing physical health outcomes, the research will also examine the mental health benefits for mothers living in homes with concrete floors. This aligns with public health interventions, which often address factors that reduce a mother's workload and improve overall well-being.

Conclusion

Overall, the present research has established that concrete floors can reduce the time mothers spend cleaning the home as they are easier to wipe down and sanitize. Notably, a 2009 Mexico-based study demonstrated that mothers had lower rates of stress and depression and higher self-testified satisfaction with life quality after concrete floor installation.

Stanford Medicine is now exploring ways to practice healthcare responsibly, without generating excessive waste. The “green” cement flooring project serves as a model for integrating public health and sustainability. This initiative brings together experts from four disciplines—civil engineering, epidemiology, environmental engineering, and sustainability.

In addition to improving housing infrastructure, the proposed “green” cement mix could significantly reduce emissions in the $700 billion global concrete construction industry. Furthermore, public health interventions like this are crucial in mitigating the climate impact in low-lying nations such as Bangladesh, which are highly vulnerable to storms, rising sea levels, agricultural losses, and other severe consequences of climate change.

Journal Reference

Lower-carbon concrete floors could pave the way to a health solution. (2024). StanfordReport, Stanford University. https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2024/09/lower-carbon-concrete-floors-could-pave-the-way-to-a-health-solution

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