About - NOCMAT 2015 About - NOCMAT 2015

ABOUT

THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF NOCMAT

The rapidly changing world is facing many threats and serious challenges. The glory of modern industrialization has been in doubt with ample facts of environmental deterioration problems. Yet, development and survival are still the central issues facing a great portion of mankind. The world needs new role models of development and industrialization that are characterized by environmentally friendliness and sustainability. Construction industry is in the forefront facing today's challenges. Providing durable, efficient and effective infrastructure system, affordable housing, clean water, energy, communication and sanitation is fundamental to economic prosperity, social justice, political stability and quality of Life.

The series of NOCMAT Conferences have proven to be a leading forum where scholars, governmental and non-governmental agencies, practitioners exchange innovations of low energy cement technologies, new materials and systems, and innovative material/structural technologies such as bamboo, natural fibers, etc. towards cost-effective, durable, environment-friendly, energy efficient and sustainable construction. The development of Innovative, Non-Conventional Materials and Technologies will also provide a significant role in eradication of poverty, creation of jobs, formation of global partnership for economic progress and social stability.

Non-conventional materials and technologies encapsulate innovation and sustainable use of novel technologies and innovative uses of more established materials. Many non-conventional materials in the 21st century have their roots in traditional vernacular construction, including earth (unfired clay), lime and natural plant based materials, such as bamboo, straw and reeds. For traditional materials and techniques to meet modern demands of construction, cost and performance requires further development, innovative solutions and systematic scientific research. Meanwhile materials of the industrial age, including steel and concrete, must also deliver more sustainable solutions. Innovations include manufacturing processes, lower carbon materials, greater reuse of components on end-use, greater recycling of materials, reduced waste, multi-span life-cycle design and more prefabrication of components and buildings.


HISTORY OF NOCMAT

The first conference in the series NOCMAT was held in 1984 in Rio de Janeiro idealized by Prof. Khosrow Ghavami at PUC-Rio. The economic difficulties of the 80s made ​​the next congress took place in Bhubanewar, India (1997), followed by Hanoi, Vietnam in 2002. During that time, was created in March 1996, the Brazilian Association of Materials Non-Conventional (ABMTENC), which strengthened and expanded the group of people interested in the topics of the conference technologies in Brazil. From the Hanoi meeting, the IC-NOCMAT has become more frequent, and conferences were held in Brazil and Colombia: João Pessoa (2003); Pirassununga (2004); Rio de Janeiro (2005); Salvador (2006); Maceio, (2007) and Cali (2008). Posteriorly, there were invitations from foreign institutions with the ABMTENC to conduct their congresses, which really happened in Bath/England (2009), Cairo/Egypt (2010) and Changsha/China (2011).

This year's 16th NOCMAT 2015, Winnipeg, Canada, follows events in Pirassununga, Brazil (November 2014), and Joao Pessoa, Brazil (2013). With 30 years of conferences around the world, 16NOCMAT2015 will be the very first to be held in North America.