Sustainability
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Building a sustainable world

Meeting the challenges of sustainable construction

 

Innovation is key to Lafarge. We constantly research hi-tech products that meet the needs of our customers and the challenges of the future.

 

These challenges are particularly acute in construction. The industry must balance the govenment's ambitions to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and the demand for new housing, schools and hospitals.

 

We can meet this challenge by applying our expertise to developing sustainable buildings that consume fewer fossil fuels, last longer and significantly reduce their whole-life energy use. This is done by utilising the unique properties of concrete.

 

We don't just talk about these challenges. We're acting on them now.

Our sustainable products

We have developed a range of products to help meet the demands of sustainable construction.

These products include those engineered to have a lower environmental footprint such as:

 

  • Envirocrete: A bespoke concrete designed to contain recycled and/or replacement materials, subject to customer requirements.
  • ExtensiaTM: A highly durable concrete that allows for a reduction of slab thickness and does not need to be used with steel reinforcements, reducing it's embodied energy.
  • Envirosand: A sand substitute produced from 100% crushed glass.

 

We also have products with unique properties which reduce the whole construction's environmental footprint over its life time. For example:

 

  • Ductal®:  a concrete which leads to a lower environmental footprint because less material is required.
  • Thermedia®: a concrete which saves energyby creating thermal bridging and reducing a building's energy loss.

Concrete's environmental benefits:

Concrete has been around since 5600BC. Its durability makes it the ultimate sustainable material. But it also boasts a range of other environmental benefits:

 

  • Excellent thermal mass - heat is released slowly, significantly reducing a building's energy needs
  • A local material that travels on average just 7 miles
  • Affordable, easy to use and 100% recyclable
  • Strong, durable with very low mantainance requirements

 

To find out more about concrete as a sustainable material, click here.

Sustainable construction - real action, real projects

We are involved in a wide range of sustainable construction projects across the UK. We do this alongside architect and developer partners and push the boundary of applied knowledge in this area.

We have been heavily involved in projects to:

  • Retro-fit 1950s homes to drastically reduce their energy consumption
  • Develop the lowest energy rated offices in the UK
  • Develop a range of homes for rent to Housing Association tenants that are being monitored for their energy use. They are currently generating an energy payback. 

For more information on these and other projects we are actively involved in please click here.

Reducing energy demands

Unity Gardens development in Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, generates surplus energy to sell to the National Grid, and uses concrete's thermal mass to drastically reduce energy demands.
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WWF Partnership

Since 2000 Lafarge has been in a

unique and challenging partnership, as a 'Conservation Partner', with the WWF. Find out more by clicking here.

Awarded to Lafarge Aggregates. Find out more about our real commitment to operating sustainably here.

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