Cor-Pro partners with other private sectors to teach students eco-friendly home-construction methods.

In a partnership between New Caney Independent School District and Piney Woods United States Green Building Council (USGBC), Cor-Pro Systems helped students learn about the importance of sustainable practices in construction and woodworking.

Officially called The Green Pathways Project, the students of New Caney High School will help in converting old shipping containers to into habitable structures. Along the way, they will acquire skills such as the use of “green” methods in construction that use low-impact techniques with low to zero carbon emission.

Aside from enhancing the students’ construction skills that will come in handy in the future, they will also help in raising awareness in creating sustainable homes that are “off the grid” or not connected to all public utilities.

They will also help in the installation of solar panels and rainwater recapture system that will totally turn the home into a zero-carbon structure.

Eddie Mann, the owner of Cor-Pro Systems, provided the shipping containers used in the said project. According to him, the Green Pathways Project is in line with his company’s goal in creating more innovations that will benefit all industries and striving for a better future.

“It was easy for me to give because I saw the passion that Michael Martin (treasurer and founding member of USGBC Piney Woods Branch) had for this project,” he said.

“This project is 100 percent volunteers and 100 percent sponsors,” said Grado. “I invite the public to come and see the excitement and see how they can help. We really want to develop good stewards for the environment and this new generation cares about protecting it.”

Texas Gulf Coast USGBC chairman Sergio Grado said that the idea of constructing sustainable homes using shipping containers was inspired by photos of self-sustaining housing projects on the internet.

According to Grado, the project is “the perfect blend of technology, innovation and uniqueness, so we decided to run with it.”

Stuart Stanley from the New Caney ISD is optimistic that this project will provide participants with an edge over other students once they become a part of the workforce.

By having a background in sustainable construction techniques, he said that the students will change the ways of construction industry and steer it towards eco-friendlier practices.

“This is really the future of the industry and they’ve already built one,” he said.

According to NASA, the cost of corrosion to the USA is around $276 billion per year. The total corrosion-related cost would reach $1 trillion by the end of the year.

Just how much is corrosion is affecting infrastructures, businesses and the government each year?

The NACE Corrosion Costs Study breaks up the US economy into 5 industries. The report then outline how much damage (in dollars) corrosion deals to each industry:

• Infrastructure: $22.6 billion
• Production and Manufacturing: $17.6 billion
• Transportation: $29.7 billion
• Government: $20.1 billion
• Utilities: $47.9 billion

 

Corrosion’s Negative Effect To Businesses And US Economy

All industries are subject to wear and tear, as well as the elements. However corrosion, while natural, remain a “controllable” process.

Corrosion control methods include organic and metallic protective coatings, corrosion-resistant alloys, plastics, and polymers, corrosion inhibitors, and cathodic protection.

Collectively, the total corrosion-related costs amount to 6.2% of the GDP. This figure represent one of the largest single expenses in the US economy.

 

How Much Money Can We Save Through Corrosion Protection?

 

Both NACE.org and NASA studies estimate that companies can save between 25% to 35% of annual corrosion-related costs through optimum corrosion management practices.

Corrosion Protection plays a huge role in preventing direct and indirect costs. Direct costs are actual resources spent in fixing corroded materials. Indirect costs are expenses incurred due to delay in production, health and environmental issues, as well as legal liabilities. Together, these two operational costs reach $552 billion in US alone.

Case Study: Corrosion Protection Costs In Production And Manufacturing

Annual corrosion related costs in the Production and Manufacturing industry is at $17.6 billion. Here’s a breakdown of how much money each industry loses over corrosion:

• Pulp And Paper: $6 billion
• Petroleum Refining: $3.7 billion
• Food Processing: $2.1 billion
• Chemical, Petrochemical, and Pharmaceutical: $1.7 billion
• Oil and Gas Exploration and Production: $1.4 billion
• Home Appliances: $1.5 billion
• Agricultural: $1.1 billion
• Mining: $0.1 billion

 

Cor-Pro Systems serves clients in the following industries:

• Fabrication

• Subsea Equipment

• Valves

• Energy Services

• Production

• Energy Exploration

• Petrochemical

• Structural Steel

• Military

• Waste Treatment

• Processing/Refining

• Heavy Equipment

 

Using the figures above, a well-executed corrosion-protection plan can help save:

• Pulp And Paper: $1.5 – $1.8 billion
• Petroleum Refining: $1 – $1.11 billion
• Food Processing: $525 to $630 million
• Chemical, Petrochemical, and Pharmaceutical: $425 – $510 million
• Oil and Gas Exploration and Production: $350 – $420 million
• Home Appliances: $375 – $450 million
• Agricultural: $275 – $330 million
• Mining: $25 – $30 million

 

Since 1987, Cor-Pro Systems, Inc. has been providing high quality corrosion protection applications.

Whether you require corrosion protection or dry film lubricant coatings, our expert staff and state-of-the-art facilities can get your job done quickly, professionally, and in the most cost-effective manner possible. We can provide turn-key solutions, coating application components or tactical services to extend the life of your equipment.