Hi-Con's journey towards sustainability

From words to actions

Sustainability is a concept that has gained significant importance within the construction industry and is here to stay. In a time of increased focus on environmental challenges and the need to create a more sustainable future, it is crucial to recognize the significance of sustainability in construction. Particularly, it is important to focus on the materials used, their durability, and production processes.

At Hi-Con, we take our responsibility seriously. We acknowledge that the construction industry is facing significant challenges, and we want to contribute to a sustainable future. Therefore, in recent years, we have made significant efforts to minimize our environmental impact. And our approach has been more than just doing what is necessary - we strive to be at the forefront!

Environmental benefits of UHPC

Most people are aware that concrete has a significant impact on the environment. This is primarily due to the high cement content, which also applies to CRC i2®, our own generation of ultra high performance concrete (UHPC). However, although UHPC itself cannot be categorized as sustainable, it serves as a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional concrete and steel.

Our concept balcony emits 22.8% less CO2 than a steel balcony.
Lifespan of 100+ years.
No technical maintenance is required.
Fewer trucks for transportation due to slimmer elements.
Less material consumption compared to concrete.

Why UHPC?

Reducing the cement in our UHPC

The high cement content is by far the most significant factor contributing to our environmental footprint, which is why we have been working on various options to reduce the amount of cement used. The first initiative is a so-called CRC i3, which is a mortar with larger aggregates. By adding larger aggregates, the amount of cement can be reduced. With this composition, we can achieve a 30% cement reduction while improving strength and stiffness - and at a minimal cost. The downside is that the current composition results in somewhat poorer workability, meaning this type of UHPC can only be used for a portion of our production (primarily flat slabs).

Another approach to reducing cement content is by replacing cement with a filler of the same size. Initial experiments have been conducted with a lime filler and marble powder. By replacing 30% of the cement, we observed no reduction in strength.

While increased sustainability is a high priority, it is important that we do not compromise on the properties documented in, for example, our ETA and long-term durability.

Additional initiatives

We have implemented several initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions and our environmental impact. This includes tracking and analyzing our emissions, developing an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), and implementing a green accounting system. By integrating these into our operations and decision-making processes, we are better positioned to continuously optimize our sustainability strategy and take responsibility for our environmental impact.

Environmental Product Declaration for UHPC balconies

As part of our sustainability strategy, we have developed an EPD for our balconies. The EPD is a document that describes the environmental characteristics and impacts of our products throughout their life cycle. This process involves a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), where we assess the environmental impact of raw material extraction, production, distribution, use, and disposal of our products.

Currently, we are in the process of revising our EPD for balconies, which is expected to be completed in 2023.

You can read our EPD here →

Downloads

Focus on green accounting

A new EU directive suggests that larger companies will be required to report their environmental impact through green accounting from 2026, and several companies are already underway. Although we are not among the companies mandated to report green accounting, we have chosen to do so in line with our desire to track all our impacts and be transparent in our work.

Green accounting also helps us monitor and report our environmental performance and progress toward our sustainability goals. By closely monitoring our environmental impact, we can identify areas where we can make progress and take targeted measures to reduce our negative impact on the environment.

Design for separation

At Hi-Con, we believe that designing elements for separation is a crucial strategy for creating a more sustainable future. Today, there is a tendency to design buildings with an expected lifespan of 50 years. Since our elements have a lifespan of 100+ years, it is important to us that our elements can be reused or recycled when the building can no longer serve its purpose.

In recent years, we have worked with balconies that are installed on the building after the rest of the construction is completed. This means that the balconies can be relatively easily removed if the building is no longer in use. By making our concrete elements easy to separate and reuse, we can minimize waste and utilize resources more efficiently. This allows us to be an active participant in the circular economy and contribute to a more sustainable construction industry.

An example of our commitment to reuse is our participation in the (P)Recast project. This project focuses on reusing concrete elements from demolition projects and creating new possibilities for these materials.

Our involvement in DGNB-certified projects

Hi-Con is a member of the Council for Sustainable Construction and has delivered UHPC elements to many projects that have been DGNB-certified. Our balconies can contribute positively to the assessment in several areas, which you can read more about in the link below.

Through DGNB-certified projects, we can demonstrate how the use of UHPC can have a positive impact on the environmental, economic, and social aspects evaluated by DGNB.

New CO2 requirements

From January 1^st, 2023, a very specific requirement came into effect in Denmark regarding emissions in connection with new construction and major renovations - namely, a requirement for emissions of less than 12 kg CO2eq/m2/year over a lifespan of 50 years. This requirement is now considered a crucial requirement. If it is not met, the construction can not be carried out. The rules of requirement is expected to tightened every two years.

In an amendment to the building regulations, it is stated that balconies and balcony corridors can be included in the building's area with 25% of the balcony's area, and in several cases, this may mean that the balcony "rests on itself" and does not burden the rest of the building. If we can further reduce the burden, there may be an opportunity for large balconies to actually be used to relieve the rest of the building.

Do you want to know more?

Then contact us today!

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