Concrete is in many ways an ideal building material – locally available, cheap, perfect composite material when combined with steel and highly durable and easy-to-work-with when used with Sika products. However, it is not so perfect ecologically - it is the second most used substance on earth after water consuming many resources. Its most important ingredient, cement, is responsible for roughly 8% of global CO₂ emissions, whereby production is an energy intensive process.

Waterproof concrete is an impermeable concrete used for long-lasting, durable watertight construction. To improve the impermeability of the concrete, water-resisting admixtures can be added. Nevertheless, design and construction of a watertight concrete structure is a system approach, and waterproof concrete is only one element of it. Water impermeability is determined by fulfilling requirements to limit water permeability through the concrete itself, the joints, installation parts and cracks.

The linear economy, or one-time use, of concrete in construction leads to a scarcity of resources and more waste at every step in the journey of that concrete material. Whereas the circular economy allows for many benefits. Explore the Sika Sustainability Circle to learn how Sika enables circularity in the concrete lifecycle.