May 15, 2014
Mongolia
Czech Research Institute of Building Materials (VUSTAH) provides within the Caritas CR project testing of five kinds of building materials (eg. concrete, bricks and blocks) produced with the use of fly ash from coal-fired plants in Mongolia. It is another step on the road to environmentally sustainable construction in this Asian country.
Current research in Europe, USA and Australia have proved that it is possible to use ash for making building materials as an additive or substitute for any of the components.
Electricity and heat are supplied in Ulaanbaatar and two other big cities in central Mongolia by coal factories which produce about one million tonnes [metric measure] of ash a year which then end up in dump sites. Using this ash for making building materials could save normally used materials such as sand and stones and reduces the need for liquidation of ash at the dump sites. Building materials made with ash are more environmentally friendly (since it‘s recycled) and cheaper. Plus, experience from other countries has proved building materials made with ash usually have better insolation function and mechanical character than other products.
In February 2014, VUSTAH research reported the preliminary results of lab tests, listing detailed descriptions of needed ingredients and procedures for manufacturing each product. According to that report, Caritas CR started experimental production in a few local small- and middle-sized companies, which joined experiment through partnership with a manufacturers association for building materials in Mongolia.
Experimental production in real conditions will measure proposed procedures and recommended composition. For purposes of this part of the project Caritas CR took away from the factories more than two tonnes of ash from two power stations in Ulaanbaatar.
Results of current research and recommendations were the theme of several meetings and seminars which were attended by employees of Caritas CR expert consultants (building engineers), employees of BMMAM and representatives of small- and middle-sized companies. The main question was optimum adaptation of proposed procedures for Mongolian conditions.
At the beginning of May 2014, the experimental part of production was mainly finished and samples of building materials were passed to the Ministry of construction and urban development to go through a series of tests to measure technologic, physical, and mechanical characteristics of product. In few months, research will be complete and Caritas CR will start work on standardizing products and training representatives of small- and middle-sized companies in the manufacturing process and to develop trademark protection for building materials based on the use of ash.
Project Environmental and sustainable building materials in Mongolia with mentioned research and follow up activities is financed by European commission and Czech development agency.
