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Concrete Blamed for Gulf Heatstroke
The overuse OF dense concrete structures which capture and retain heat "like night storage heaters" is costing Kuwaiti's "millions of Dinars more than they need to pay and giving many of them unnecessarily hot nights", claims a member of the Welsh Trade Mission that arrived in Kuwait today.
(PRWEB) February 10, 2005 -- Explaining how dense materials, like masonry blocks, concrete and steel, capture the heat of daytime sunshine and store this up to give out during the hours of darkness, Professor Michael Benfield, MD of leading UK engineered timber structure specialists, Benfield ATT, said "Instinctively many Kuwaiti's already know this. It's one reason why timber is preferred to steel for scaffolding, and they all know how touching their walls can burn."
With building science having moved on considerably since the days when Kuwait was first learning to exploit its oil wealth, he argued that "With your country facing the need to increase electricity generation within the next year or so, the time has come for a radical re-thinking in your approach to construction. From what I am told it seems you should be going for a future of 'Cool Buildings', such as can be provided using the Advanced Timber Technologies now available in Canada and Europe."
Applying these technologies to the building of Schools, Hotels, Resorts, Hospitals, Clinics and Retail Centres as well as the full spectrum of housing demand, "Allows us to deliver 'Super Cool' and 'Highly Energy Efficient' structures that make people comfortable at the same time as they enjoy the natural beauty and harmony of wood both inside and outside their buildings." he said.
Linking the importance of growing and using more trees to 'lock-up' the harmful greenhouse gas, Carbon Dioxide, for the protection of the planet and future generations, he believes that "With the creation of your new city to the north of Kuwait and the renewal of the first oil town to the South, Kuwait has a unique opportunity to lead the rest of the gulf collaborative countries in creating functional and desirable buildings that will last for a thousand years."
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