Despite a waste level of 0.1% of production volume, an Interpave member is in the process of developing a new corporate waste reduction target of zero waste to landfill by 2012.
The BRE ‘Green Guide to Specification’ provides independent endorsement of the low environmental impact of precast concrete paving, particularly in comparison with imported materials. It rates and compares a range of specifications within various construction elements, with summary ratings ranging from ‘A+’ for best environmental performance to ‘E’ for the worst. Three different paving scenarios (together with ‘boundary protection’) constitute the Landscaping category of the Green Guide and cover: Pedestrian Areas, including communal spaces, walkways and garden paving; Lightly Trafficked Areas, such as car parking; Heavily Trafficked Areas, for heavier vehicles or repetitive traffic. The same three scenarios - with identical results - are applied across the six different building types considered by the Green Guide. But the ratings also provide essential guidance for local authorities to exercise their responsibilities for sustainable materials on roads and public spaces unrelated to particular buildings.
The summary environmental ratings for a range of precast concrete paving specifications – covering blocks, flags and ‘grass concrete’ units - are generally ‘A’ or ‘A+’ across all three scenarios. Click here to view a summary of all the ratings.
These ratings provide independent endorsement of the low environmental impact of precast concrete paving, particularly in comparison with imported materials, helping specifiers and local authorities to make responsible material choices. They also reflect the on-going environmental investments and improvements made by Interpave manufacturer members, as well as by the cement industry generally. Although not considered in the Green Guide, precast concrete kerbs will have similar environmental characteristics to concrete flags, whereas the environmental characteristics of alternative kerbing materials such as plastic remain an unknown quantity.
Local material sourcing and product supply is also a key element of sustainable construction, and equivalent paving products shipped into the country bear a substantial CO₂ emission load over those locally supplied. Some imported stone paving products are also included in the Green Guide – generally with much poorer environmental ratings than their precast concrete equivalents and half with the worst ‘E’ rating.
The latest products from Interpave manufacturers make use of the most
sustainable resources while retaining impressive performance and
visual characteristics. For example, here copper slag – a by-product
from copper smelting – is used to create the decorative finish, while
china clay stent - a by-product of the china clay industry – is used as
an aggregate instead of quarrying virgin materials.
