There are a number of ways precast concrete can contribute to the design of more sustainable buildings and infrastructure. Many of our member businesses are incorporating numerous initiatives in their operations to reduce their environmental footprint. This month’s Member Spotlight showcases Ernest Maier’s business philosophy in their quest to implement sustainable technologies and to deliver products to meet the growing need for resilient, durable, and greener products.
Brief Company Description
Since 1926, Ernest Maier has been all about construction. Starting as Washington DC’s best and most trusted masonry block manufacturer. The Ernest Maier family has grown to provide an array of concrete and building solutions to Mid-Atlantic contractors, architects, engineers, designers, and homeowners. In 2020, Ernest Maier acquired Concrete Building Systems (CBS) of Delmar, DE; a PCI-certified producer of structural precast and prestressed elements since 1981.
Product Portfolio
From ready-mix concrete to steel the Ernest Maier family of companies goes well beyond their roots making concrete masonry blocks. They manufacture and/or distribute aggregates, bricks, drainage, hardscapes, insulation, lintels, natural stone, pavers, sand, stone, stormwater solutions, tools, and even precast/prestressed concrete.
Questions
Tell us about your mindset relative to sustainability in your company.
Brendan Quinn, President & CEO. Prior to the implementation of CarbonCure® in our ready mix business, we were collecting used oils from local restaurants and converting it to biodiesel, recycling water for our volumetric ready mix operation and block making, and focusing on our sites being more sustainable. We’d done experiments with Drexel University in using calcium carbonate in concrete block solely without cement. We’re definitely welcoming in new ideas to improve our environmental footprint like recycled products and lightweight aggregates. Concrete as a building material is already green when you think about its life cycle costs.
What are specific products and operational practices that showcase sustainability at Ernest Maier?
Brendan Quinn, President & CEO. In the last couple of years, we’ve installed solar panels on all our roofs and this is helping to prepare us for the future whether its electric forklifts or pick up trucks. We’re putting in place a source of our own power and to lower our cost over time. On the product side, we’ve used and represented insulated block systems and we’re part of a company, PaveDrain, that manufactures low-maintenance, heavy-duty permeable performance pavement that can address stormwater. When a new product comes out whether a Type 1L (Portland Limestone) cement or slag we’re going to be the first to incorporate these materials in our mix designs. We want to stay ahead of decision makers rather than react to these needs in the marketplace. We’ve had HPDs and EPDs for our block for a long time and we want to be well ahead of any legislation.
So the implementation of CarbonCure Technologies® is an extension of your commitment to sustainable business practices?
Brendan Quinn, President & CEO. I always say green has to make you green. By doing those experiments at Drexel and understanding how the process might work I knew there was the potential to reduce cement. We wanted to understand the measurable impact by introducing CarbonCure. We also wanted to make CarbonCure what we did not increase the cost of our products. Sequestering CO2 meant we could make every block with CarbonCure instead of project by project. That process took time to do but we’re now at a point where we understand how to make our concrete block product that way. It made even more sense on the ready-mix concrete side since there is more cement being used. You could see the impact to your bottom line would offset your CO2 cost.
Looking to the future, are there any other sustainability technologies that you are excited about?
Brendan Quinn, President & CEO. We’ve recently started distributing fiberglass rebar. It is a direct replacement for steel rebar—except it’s lighter, stronger, and totally resistant to corrosion. Fiberglass rebar has been in the market for 20+ years, meaning it’s been incorporated into the codes and has been used across the globe. However, with the recent run up in steel prices, it’s now approaching or in some cases even cheaper than plain steel!
So sometimes it isn’t necessarily something wholly brand new, but rather just be willing to try something different. Since acquiring Concrete Building Systems, we’ve started using many of these sustainable products into the products we make—fiberglass rebar, CarbonCure, Type 1L cement—while also being able to pass along cost savings to our customers. Just another example of green making green.
Interested in learning about how Ernest Maier has made construction more sustainable? Contact Dr. Aaron Fisher VP of Business Development at Ernest Maier: afisher@emcoblock.com
