Building Biology Based New Building Protocol

Magnesium Oxide, Magnesium Chloride, and

Phosphate-based Cements
By: George Swanson
Introduction
Before the widespread 20
th
century use of Portland cement magnesium oxide and
magnesium chloride based cements were numbered amongst the worlds popular
cement products !nce the introduction of Portland cement essentially cornered the
mar"et in the latter part of the #$
th
century% serious public health issues began to be
&uietly recogni'ed% documented% and scientifically (erified as being directly lin"ed to the
use of limestone)gypsum based cement and concrete products *n contrast to this
sobering reality magnesium cements ha(e consistently pro(en to be superior in
strength% (ersatility% and en(ironmental integrity
So why were these magnesium cements (irtually abandoned o(er the past #+, years-
.irst of all the story of cement and concrete does not ha(e any bad guys% only good
guys /hether we are discussing Portland cement or any other cement no one e(er
purposely set out to ma"e a problematic cement0 &uite the opposite /hen 1oseph
2spdin in(ented his water3acti(ated Portland cement in his 4eeds 5ngland "itchen in
#627% it ob(iously seemed to be a (iable and exciting ad(ance in addressing the
accelerated pace of the industrial re(olution 2nd in many respects notably its
con(enience and a(ailability it was8
*t was only as time went on and this nineteenth century cement)concrete inno(ation
spread around the world that the pre(iously unrecogni'able% negati(e side effects would
slowly but surely begin to become scientifically scrutini'ed *ts also important to note
that Portland cement manufacturers continuously allocate enormous amounts of 9:;
funding in a (aliant effort to o(ercome these inherited deficiencies 4iterally billions of
dollars are spent in an effort to do what magnesium and phosphate3bonded cements do
<naturally
=o understand this dilemma a discussion of the history of magnesium)phosphate
cements is included in this article% which will explain why these ancient
magnesium)phosphate building materials are of such great historic importance 2nd
more importantly why these same <cold3fired ceramic bonding techni&ues now hold the
"ey to the future of worldwide% sustainable building practices =his currently a(ailable
cement alternati(e >often referred to as ceramic cement? pro(ides uni&ue% short and
long term solutions to the ad(erse effects of Portland cement =he &uic"er this fact is
understood by both the cement)concrete industries and the general public% the &uic"er
we can re(erse the deleterious health and en(ironmental effects caused by the
contemporary concrete materials to which we are all sub@ected to
Availability and Benefits of MagnesiumPhosphate based cements!
Aagnesium deposits exist in abundance in e(ery corner of the earth and co(er roughly
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6C of the worlds surface ;epending upon where they are mined% magnesium oxide
and magnesium oxide)magnesium chloride cements re&uire only 20C370C of the
energy re&uired to produce Portland cement Phosphates are a(ailable from many
sources ranging from phosphoric roc" to animal wastes and fermented plants% which
historically were used to DreactE with (arious oxides to produce these en(ironmentally
friendly% non3toxic cements
Aagnesium3based cements ha(e exceptional health3promoting properties for
occupants of homes in which they are used as a building material .or example%
research at 2rgonne National 4aboratories has documented that occupants of homes
made with traditional cow dung and magnesium oxide located right next to the
Fhernobyl nuclear power plant had less radiation sic"ness from the nuclear accident
than any other group /hereas occupants of modern stud frame and concrete homes
e(en miles away succumbed to higher le(els of radiation sic"ness
=hese natural cements bind naturally and exceptionally well to all things cellulose >ie
plant fibers% wood chip% etc? and are often referred to as Dli(ing cementsE =his is in
sharp contrast to Portland cement% which repels cellulose !ften plastic binders are
used in Portland cement to assist its <artificial adhesion to wood% styrofoam or stone
=hese petroleum3based binders seriously restrict the capacity of Portland cements to
breathe% thereby binding in moisture and increasing the li"elihood of mold damage
/hen the latest% <water3acti(ated magnesium oxide3based cement formulas are used
as a Dcap coatE o(er damp Portland cement floors% the moisture in the slab can breathe
through the magnesium oxide composite% which remains intact rather than delaminating
li"e epoxy)cement composites often do

Aagnesium3based cements commonly achie(e compressi(e strengths of $%000 to
7,%000 psi and tension strength of o(er 600 psi% many times stronger than that of
con(entional concrete Aagnesium oxide combined with clays and cellulose form
cements that breathe water (apors electro3magnetically% a significant plus =he clay in
magnesium oxide balances and enhances the mo(ement of moisture *t ne(er rots
because it always expels moisture 2lso% unli"e Portland cement% Ag! cements will not
drain the charge out of a car battery left o(ernight on a floor made with as little as 20C
Ag! content Ag! cements are completely non3conducti(e of electricity% as well as
heat : cold% and ha(e been used for flooring for radar stations and hospital operating
rooms throughout the 20
th
century
Blends of magnesium oxide were used in ancient times in Germany% .rance% Aexico
and 4atin 2merica% Swit'erland% *ndia% Fhina and New Gealand% among other countries
=he Great /all of Fhina and many of the Stupas in *ndia% still standing today% were all
made with magnesium3based cements 2ncient 5uropean artisans used a timber frame
with magnesium oxide infill in constructing homes No gaps are (isible in these 6003
year3old walls that still remain in use
Germany had craftsmen who blended magnesium oxide for centuries% and right up to
/orld /ar ** this practice had been a labor3intensi(e family tradition =his tradition was
abandoned after the war when ;urisol and other fibrous cement companies sprang up
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Building Biology Based New Building Protocol
in Germany to facilitate the &uic" rebuilding of all of 5urope
Hntil the early #$B0s almost all Dterra''oE floors where made with magnesium oxide or
magnesium oxy3chloride *t was used extensi(ely throughout the HS2 until Portland
cement offered what appeared at the time to be a less3costly% user3friendly alternati(e
=he successful manufacture% mar"eting% and proliferation of Portland cement occurred
at a time when energy was cheap and health concerns of the public were simply not an
issue
Argonne "ational #aboratories (www.anl.gov) and others ha(e now licensed se(eral
firms to mar"et magnesium3based cements under the name CeramicreteE =hese
companies ha(e patents on their products HS Gypsum% the original 2merican ma"er of
Portland cement% is also introducing magnesium oxide% first as a non3toxic accelerant
and also as a non3toxic additi(e D2&uacastE is one magnesium oxide product being
mar"eted by HS Gypsum
Grancrete% a spray3on structural cement% has been de(eloped by scientists at 2rgonne
National 4aboratory and Fasa Grande 44F as one of the modern applications of a
magnesium oxide3based cement 2ccording to a paper released by 2rgonne National
4abs (www.anl.gov, search under Grancrete) DGrancrete had been labeled as Da tough new
ceramic material that is twice as strong as concrete >that? may be the "ey to pro(iding
high3&uality% low3cost housing throughout the de(eloping nationsE
D2ccording to experiments% Grancrete is stronger than concrete% is fire resistant and can withstand
both tropical and sub3free'ing temperatures% ma"ing it ideal for a broad range of geographical
locationsE Grancrete is often applied to styrofoam 5.S cores% but ;r /agh suggests simpler
walls% such as wo(en fiber mats% also wor" well and further reduce the raw materials re&uired

Building Biology would certainly recommend this latter approach to a(oid using non3
breathable petroleum3based products such as styrofoam =his system done o(er a
natural magnesium oxide3treated cellulose core% or D2irIreteE Ag! foam >see below?
would be excellent
D/ith only two days of training% two men can build a non3toxic durable home made of Grancrete in
two days that is ready to be occupied by the end of the second day =his is because the material
cures within two to four hours% not hours or days li"e regular concrete =he material is se(eral
times less expensi(e than currently used materials and has been extensi(ely field3tested for
structural properties *t pro(ides a (ery healthy% affordable alternati(e% particularly when used in
con@unction with locally a(ailble natural fiber core% rather than non3breathable building materialsE
=he Bindan Fompany in Fhicago (www.bindancorp.com) ma"es twel(e different products
with magnesium oxide 1ust add water and they are ready to go =heir magnesium
oxide)phosphate cements and concretes are some of the strongest e(er tested
2ccording to the Bindan Fompany website their formulas use a phosphate binder and
additional materials to create their products:
D!ur phosphate bonded products typically ha(e faster setting times% higher strength and better
adhesi(e characteristics than products based upon Portland Fement =here is no off3gassing of
harmful fumes !ur products are fire proof and are suitable for use both indoors and outdoors
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D/e currently manufacture products for repairing concrete% for repairing roads% for flooring repair
and underlayment% for architectural and artistic moldings% for terra''o flooring% for counter tops%
and for fireproof coatings
DBindan manufactures its commercial products under the MONO-PATCHJ brand name =he
MONO-PATCHJ 4ine of products offers se(eral uni&ue products for both commercial and
residential uses including:
MONO-PATCH Aulti3Purpose Foncrete 9epair%
MONO-PATCHJ .ire Stop : Kigh =emperature 9efractory Aortar%
MONO-PATCH Hnderlayment%
MONO-PATCH Kydraulic Fement% Neo3=erra''o% and Aor3Grout
$B%"%&I'( and &%A')*%(
.ast setting
Non off3gassing of harmful fumes
Superior bonding without priming agents
No special curing needed
*nterior or exterior use
9apid strength gain
Gero shrin"age
!ne component% @ust add water
*norganic and totally fireproof
.ree'e)thaw cycle resistant
Fan be applied in cold or hot weatherE
=he cost of Bindan magnesium oxide cement is approximately LB0 per ,03pound bag
(ersus L, per bag for Portland cement But the wide (ariety of indigenous roc"% plant
and wood fibers% and other cellulose granules that can be added &uic"ly amorti'e this
discrepancy in cost per pound by extending the basic cement material by up to $,C of
the concrete mix Bindan also produce one of the best products for pouring floors

Cera'ech+s (www.ceratechinc.com) family of products are comprised of Ag! natural
mineral based non3traditional cementitious materials that are acti(ated by water
D=he result is a slurry mix that% when poured onto the area to be repaired% bonds tenaciously to
most construction materials% including steel /hen correctly applied% these products are (ery
effecti(e for the repair of (ertical% sloped% and hori'ontal surfaces% to include spall and crater
failures0 as an o(erlay0 as an anchor for bolts0 as a grout0 and as a paint for surface striping
applicationsE
DFera=ech <PaveMend family includes self3le(eling products in a graduated range of set times
for hori'ontal repairs% as well as trowelable materials for the repair of sloped surfaces up to B,M
NertiAendO is a parging material designed for the repair of (ertical and o(erhead surfaces in
both thin and thic" applications% while 2nchorPuic"O is a (ery rapid3setting anchoring system with
exceptional bond strengths
PaveMend 5.0
PaveMend 5.0 is an extremely rapid-hardening high early strength self-leveling material for patching and repair
of concrete, masonry and structural asphalt
surfaces.http://.ceratechinc.com/pavemend!5.asp http://www.ceratechinc.com/pavemend_5.asp http://.ceratechinc
.com/pavemend!5.asp
PaveMend TR
PaveMend "# is a troela$le rapid-hardening high early strength material for repair and overlaying of sloped
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Building Biology Based New Building Protocol
concrete, masonry and structural asphalt surfaces.
http://.ceratechinc.com/pavemend!tr.asp http://www.ceratechinc.com/pavemend_tr.asp http://.ceratechinc.com/pa
vemend!tr.asp
PaveMend 15.0http://www.ceratechinc.com/pavemend_15.asp
PaveMend %5.0 is a very rapid-hardening high early strength self-leveling material for patching and repair of
concrete, masonry and structural asphalt surfaces.
http://.ceratechinc.com/pavemend!%5.asp http://www.ceratechinc.com/pavemend_15.asp http://.ceratechinc.com/
pavemend!%5.asp
AnchorQui
&nchor'ui( is an anchoring system designed to provide exceptional performance ith )uic( turnaround .
http://.ceratechinc.com/anchor)uic(.asp http://www.ceratechinc.com/anchorquick.asp http://.ceratechinc.com/anc
hor)uic(.asp
PaveMend !0.0
PaveMend *0.0 is a rapid-hardening high early strength self-leveling material for patching and repair of
concrete, masonry and structural asphalt surfaces.
http://.ceratechinc.com/pavemend!*0.asp http://www.ceratechinc.com/pavemend_30.asp http://.ceratechinc.com/
pavemend!*0.asp
"ertiMend
+ertiMend is a rapid-hardening high early strength parging material for patching and repair of vertical and
overhead surfaces.
http://.ceratechinc.com/vertimend.asp http://www.ceratechinc.com/vertimend.asp http://.ceratechinc.com/vertime
nd.asp
#or additiona$ product %n&ormation: www.ceratechinc.com
Technica$ 'upport: "el: ,,,-*-%-./00 'a$es/Maretin(:"el: ,00-5,%-,*01
2ax: 10*-,0--%0/,
Aagnesium oxide is also a(ailable in bags for as little as L$ per ,0 pound bag from
se(eral other sources >see list of websites below? =hese recipes re&uire either li&uid
fertili'er or special brine DreactorsE to harden into concrete and are especially useful for
binding non load3bearing straw)clay and woodchip)clay mixes for building construction
Air,rete (www.airkrete.com) is a natural Ag! mineral based blown3in insulation that
combines all the advantages of MgO cement with aeration and spray in place convenience to achieve
the highest environmental and technical demands
Outstanding features of this ceramic cement spray-in foam material include:
Non-Toxic/Environmentally riendly : study using a microbial test protocol
following the re&uirements of 2S=A Guideline ; QB2$3$6 >#? 9esults show that
the D air "reteJ *nsulation SampleE was resistant to mold growth at both +,C and
$,C relati(e humidities Neither molds were found to amplify in the materials at
either humidity
&ire Proof(ound Proof: 9eport on surface burning characteristics determined
by 2S=A35 67
=he normal #0 minute test was extended to B0 minutes with the following results:
.lamespread .actor: 0
.uel Fontributed .actor: 0
Smo"e ;ensity .actor: 0
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Building Biology Based New Building Protocol
%nergy %fficient: 93B$)inch R +,deg.%according to study test protocol following
the re&uirements of 2S=A F3,#6+Q
!ost Efficient: "verage cost #$%&-#$'&/board ()*+x)*+x)+thic,- foot
installed
&or more information contact *-,een Christopher at! wwwair"retecom ./01 2/3 44567
Kere we begin to address another of the aspects as to why magnesium)phosphate3
bonded cements e(entually were forced to ta"e a bac" seat in building the foundations
of our modern world *n a nutshell it comes down to the relati(e cost of the necessary
raw materials Feramic cements superiority is indisputable% e(en amongst a growing
number of cement)concrete experts throughout the world% but the cost per pound
differential with con(entional Portland cement continues to relegate the present use of
magnesium)phosphate cements to (alue3added products where Portland cements
cannot begin to compete with their &uality and strength
*n a dedicated effort to resol(e this raw material cost problem% Fo3!perations *nc% a
Seattle based research and de(elopment company% has recently been successful in
identifying large% worldwide sources of recyclable Ag!s that were inad(ertently
produced as a by3product of the industrial re(olution% and they are helping to de(elop a
significantly less3expensi(e process for producing the necessary phosphates needed
for these inno(ati(e ceramic cements =his company is also testing a phosphate3
bonded radiation shielding formula that promises a wide (ariety of uses ranging from
nuclear and ha'ardous waste containment% replacing the lead shielding used in medical
and x3ray facilities% as well as safer computer and cell phone casings
Properties of Concrete Made 8ith Portland Cement!
4et us now turn to concrete made with Portland cement 2s a further indication as to
why ceramic cement got <lost in the shuffle% when a con(enient produce such as
Portland cement becomes a fixed paradigm within the largest industry in the world% bar
none% it stands to order it would ta"e an exceedingly better and easily assimilated
alternati(e to e(en be considered /hen something that successful isnt percei(ed to
be bro"en% why on earth do anything else but impro(e it8
4ets start by loo"ing at its health3related properties and performance characteristics of
the readily a(ailable choices Portland cement has the tendency to ta"e on moisture
and hold it for prolonged periods of time =his is a serious drawbac" from a Building
Biology standpoint .urthermore% modern polymer additi(es in Portland cement often
further clod its pours causing it to be e(en less breathable =he most deleterious health
effects of concrete occur howe(er% when its wet: it continuously outgases% and this
promotes mold growth% and also becomes a conductor of heat% cold and electricity
*t is now widely recogni'ed that the production of concrete made with Portland cement
is a ma@or contributor% up to #2C% to the worldwide global warming crisis /hat is less
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widely recogni'ed is that the immense amount of energy that it ta"es to ba"e a Portland
cement Dclin"er%E amounting to roughly B000 degrees . for many hours% is routinely
purchased at less than #0C of what the a(erage consumer pays for the same amount
of energy% and is thus% hugely and outrageously subsidi'ed by the public sector
2 (i(id example of this type of subsidy was re(ealed when 2lcoa 2luminum closed
se(eral of its plants in Falifornia for two years% paying full wages to send home
employees Set the company had its highest profit years in history these two years by
selling its Denergy D futures bac" to the people of Falifornia at an a(erage cost of o(er
twenty times what they paid for it
/hen building with Portland cement you must use a bonding material to enable
cellulose to adhere to it =he lime in Portland cement repels any sugars and acids such
as normally found in cellulose =herefore you need to neutrali'e the sugars and acids in
wood or cellulose before binding them to concrete =his re&uires the use of an often
toxic adhesi(e% to accomplish /ith magnesium oxide and clay3treated wood chips% on
the other hand% cellulose will bond to clay without ha(ing to go through the expensi(e
patented 5uropean neutrali'ation process used to create products such as ;urisol%
Kardiboard and /onderboard
*n many buildings today% ,0C to $0C of a solid concrete en(elope >by weight? is
in(ol(ed in holding up its own Ddead weightE =his is a (ery inefficient use of resources
*nstead the wise builder should consider using a light insulati(e exos"eleton filling only
about B0C >or less? of the bloc" mass with con(entional concrete Products such as
;urisol and 22F can achie(e this light exos"eleton while creating enough thermal
mass in the inside of the bloc" to pro(ide all the benefits of documented thermal
performance% breathability and hygroscopicity discussed in pre(ious chapters *n the
future the use of ultra high strength Ag! cements could reduce the use of structural
cement materials to e(en less than #0C
9armful 9ealth %ffects of Concrete Made 8ith Portland Cement!
Aa"ing the Tclin"erT in Portland cement at B000 degrees creates a missing unstable
isotope which gi(es it an unbalanced charge Foncrete made from Portland cement is
therefore (ery electrically unstable causing these isotopes to always see" electrons in
neighboring ob@ects in order to stabili'e themsel(es electrically
=hese isotopes created in the manufacture of Portland cement draw electrons out of
anything with an opposite charge in close proximity to a concrete slab or wall% including
people% animals or the cellulose in plants =his causes fatigue and other health
problems in people who stand or wor" near concrete o(er prolonged periods of time
Foncrete will also drain a standard car battery placed on it o(er a period of time *f you
place that same battery on magnesium oxide cement% howe(er% it does not drain
electrically =he same is true with the human body0 that is% magnesium oxide used as a
building material will not drain the electrical charge out of a person standing o(er floors
made with it% and you therefore do not feel fatigued Sou can put this benefit of
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magnesium oxide to use as part of your slab protocol as you will see in the next section
Some of the most harmful effects of concrete made with Portland cement come when it
is DenhancedE with plastics =he concrete ne(er cures% or does so extremely slowly%
which may enhance the strength of the concrete but is not healthy for the occupants of
the building .urthermore concrete outgases and is toxic% particularly when it mixes with
mold >=he use of concrete inside clay3treated wood chip wall forms is an exception
because they allow the concrete contained within them to cure fully% drying out all their
initial moisture and any new moisture that enters later through wic"ing by capillary
action or through water lea"s?
=he high temperatures used in the ma"ing of Portland cement ma"es it extremely
hydrophilic% causing a number of problems including the promotion of mold growth
Kelmut Giehe% .ounder and former ;irector of the *nternational *nstitute of Bau3biologie
and 5cology% explains this in a recent email correspondence:
D/hen cement is made they use (ery high temperatures which in turn gets rid of the crystal water
in the limestone molecule *n ma"ing concrete% water is added and comes in contact with that
cement Now the cement has the tendency of holding on to that water =his is an explanation for
the long drying out time of concrete =he health effect is connected to li(ing in wet conditions
>promoted by the continual wetness of concrete? with the possibility of mold growthE
Studies in Germany ha(e shown that factory wor"ers standing on concrete for more
than one hour de(elop a condition whereby the communication of information between
cells is interrupted in the body of the wor"er =his appears to cause the information
exchange from cell to cell to reduce by B03,0C 2lso the DwetnessE of the human cells
decreases and they become dehydrated 2s a result the cells do not function properly
lea(ing the wor"er feeling fatigued
2s a remedy to this employers in Germany ha(e made cut outs in the concrete floor of
assembly lines and replaced them with cor" co(ered clay3treated wood chip o(er direct
earth for wor"ers to stand on By doing this the wor"ers ha(e been shown to increase
their producti(ity and decrease their absenteeism and medical expenditures .or this
reason industrial laws now exist in Germany limiting the amount of time wor"ers can
stand on concrete to no more than one hour per day
=o remedy this in our own homes in North 2merica we must a(oid these harmful effects
and simulate the natural relationship that exists between bone and tissue by replacing
concrete with natural mineral enhanced clay and cellulose where(er possible !ur cells
"now what is going on behind walls or below floors in the houses we build and much of
our general lac" of health in society shows it
Flay3treated wood chip is much closer to the ideal as a building material and has none
of the deleterious effects seen with concrete alone =his is because electron3hungry
concrete contained within a clay3treated wood chip wall draws electrons from the clay
and wood chip encasing it rather than pulling electrons from the bodies of people
standing% sitting or sleeping nearby
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=he same holds true if you place pieces of crushed ;urisol or .aswall under a concrete
slab =he concrete in the slab will pull electrons out of the crushed ;urisol below it
rather than from the feet of occupants standing abo(e it% as you will see in the next
section% Flay3treated /ood Fhip Hnder Foncrete Slab =his is a significant way to
reduce fatigue produced by li(ing on a concrete slab in a home built slab3on3grade or
spending much time in a finished basement
.or more information about magnesium based cements% mixing recipes% and ordering
information% contact George Swanson at: ,#232663$0$+0 ,#23Q,B36Q27 cell0
gps@lash.net or on the web at: www.geoswan.com
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