John Lisle | Updated September 29, 2022 | Eco-Friendly Foundations

Climate change is transforming how we “do” construction in the United States.
The environmental impact from heavy equipment, construction waste, and the industry value chain are coming under ever-increasing scrutiny. Federal and state governments are expecting us in the industry to take steps to mitigate the impact our projects have on the environment.
When it comes to the foundation for your project, however, you may consider the physical footprint more than the carbon footprint. After all, the foundation for your commercial or industrial project might not seem like the place to make environmental gains.

Truth is your foundation is the perfect place to help reduce your commercial or industrial project’s impact on the local, and global, environment.Ready to be surprised?

Is Concrete an Environmentally "Unfriendly" Foundation?

Concrete has changed our world. From Roman aqueducts to concrete piers that support hulking buildings, our modern world couldn’t exist without concrete.

The same properties that can give concrete an incredibly long life also make it very hard to dispose of

Problem is, concrete is also the most environmentally destructive material on earth. And we produce as much as 32 billion tons of the stuff each year.

What’s worse is that concrete isn’t truly recyclable for the most part. While some concrete waste can be crushed and used as aggregate to make new concrete, most of it can only be downcycled. That means the resulting material from processing concrete waste is less valuable than the original material. Most concrete waste ends up as cheap aggregate fill.

Concrete may be the de-facto standard deep foundation, that doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for the environment or your budget.There’s another foundation that’s more efficient, more environmentally friendly, and (often) more economical than standard precast or poured concrete piles.Problem is, concrete is also the most environmentally destructive material on earth. And we produce as much as 32 billion tons of the stuff each year.

What’s worse is that concrete isn’t truly recyclable for the most part. While some concrete waste can be crushed and used as aggregate to make new concrete, most of it can only be downcycled. That means the resulting material from processing concrete waste is less valuable than the original material. Most concrete waste ends up as cheap aggregate fill.

Concrete may be the de-facto standard deep foundation, that doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for the environment or your budget.There’s another foundation that’s more efficient, more environmentally friendly, and (often) more economical than standard precast or poured concrete piles.

An Eco-Friendly Alternative to Concrete Foundations

If concrete is terrible for the environment then what the heck are we supposed to use for our deep foundations? Besides driven pier solutions like H or I beams, what deep foundation options do we have?

Consider the helical pier foundation.

Helical piers can be a more enviromentally-friendly choice compared to deep concrete foundations

Helical piers are manufactured from steel instead of concrete. Steel isn’t emissions-free by any means, but it does have distinct environmental advantages over concrete:
● Can be 100% recycled at the end of its life and turned into new steel products● Steel recycling can be powered by renewable energy, further reducing recycled steel’s environmental impact● 98% of the water used in steel production can be filtered and reused/recycled● While it requires mining to source raw materials, steel consumes less raw resources overall because it can be recycled● Emits less airborne dust pollution compared to concrete production
Steel isn’t a “perfect material”. You still have to mine raw ore from the ground and smelt it into usable steel. That does output emissions and consumes non-renewable resources. But, when you compare it to concrete, steel is generally considered to have a lower overall impact on the environment.

Helical piers can be 100% recycled at the end of their life, reducing their impact on the environment

Why Helical Piers Are More Environmentally Friendly

Here’s a few more reasons why helical piers can provide an environmentally friendly foundation for commercial and industrial constructon:
● Requires simple equipment like an excavator or skidsteer to install, no emissions-spewing equipment like concrete trucks, pumps, and water trucks● Turns down into the soil with hydraulic power, which means zero vibrations and virtually no site disturbance● Can be quickly and easily turned out of the ground and removed, leaving no trace of the foundation behind● No need to waste fossil fuels transporting heavy resources like concrete and water, helical piers come pre-built, self-contained, and ready for immediate use● Can be manufactured from recycled steel, drastically reducing the environmental impact of sourcing raw materials● You don’t need to excavate soil to install or remove a helical pier foundation, making them an ideal solution for sensitive areas that may require remediation● Need less workers to install a helical pier foundation, which means fewer people to transport and manage on site

The nature of helical piers means they don’t require vast amounts of equipment and people to install

If you aren’t familiar with helical piers, you might think all these benefits would drive your project costs through the roof.

Actually, no.

A helical pier foundation can, in many cases, be more economical than a comparable concrete foundation when all things are considered. You could reduce your carbon footprint while getting a high-performance foundation at a better cost.

It’s not snake oil. It’s just what happens if you look beyond the concrete comfort zone and explore alternative foundation solutions like helical piers.

Helical piers may not be the right foundation for every project. But what if they were the right one for your project, and you missed out on a foundation that’s better for the environment and your budget?

Personally, I’d be annoyed if I missed out on that.

Conclusion

As the commercial and industrial construction industries aim to reduce their carbon footprints, there’s no single tactic that can protect the future of our climate.
You’ll need the right combination of technology, materials, and methods if you want to stay ahead of the regulators and make a difference.
Thinking “green” is more than going paperless or carpooling to work. It’s about identifying the areas you can realistically improve. You probably won’t buy an electric excavator anytime soon or get your entire staff to carpool to work.
But you can choose a more environmentally-friendly, efficient, and economical foundation.
Curious about going beyond concrete for your project’s foundation? 
Scroll down to get in touch with our team of foundation experts today, and we’ll help you figure out if helical piers are a “greener”, faster, more economical foundation for your project.