Precast concrete retaining walls with CO2 labels

The precast concrete creations of retaining wall manufacturer Bosch Beton not only excel in quality. The company also has its business more than in order when it comes to sustainability. It has already demonstrated this several times in recent years. The next step in terms of sustainability is the introduction of CO2 labels on all products supplied. "With these labels we clearly map out the environmental impact of our retaining walls for our customers," says Brechtje van den Beuken, CEO of the Barneveld-based company. 

With the introduction of the CO2 labels, Bosch Beton is once again making its ambitions on the sustainability front both tangible and clear. Ranging from class A++ (highest sustainability) to G (lowest sustainability), the labels offer a detailed insight into the environmental friendliness of the product. "So our customers can see directly what impact their product choice has on the environment," says Brechtje. "Without them having to make concessions in terms of quality and performance."

Together 

Bosch Beton not only wants to produce, it also wants to make an impact. Especially on the sustainability ladder, the company wishes to continuously climb further up. "We want to help the construction industry towards a greener future," explains Brechtje. "To that end, we urge both ourselves and our customers to take targeted action, make sustainable choices and work together to create a world where the built environment and nature come together in harmony. Initiatives all focused on that one common goal: building a better world together." 

Clear insight

A crucial part of the new initiative is the use of an Environmental Product Declaration, or EPD for short. This document provides detailed information about the environmental impact of the building material or product. Throughout the life cycle, that is. "In this way, a user gains insight into several variables. The CO2 emissions per unit of concrete or per product is one of them," said Brechtje. "At the same time, we use the cradle-to-cradle approach within our labeling system. The idea behind this is that we want to present the product completely and literally from cradle-to-cradle. It doesn't stop at passing through the factory gate. We portray the entire process."  

CO2 labels on retaining walls: how and why

Within the effort to achieve a CO2 label for concrete products, Bosch Beton based its benchmark on a study by the Green Construction Board (GCB) of England. The partnership of government and industry developed a roadmap in which the principles of carbon-free, waste-free, biodiversity and environmental gain form the basis of the classifications. To obtain the dataset for the classifications, the GCB analyzed a total of as many as 624 different concrete recipes within the strength classes C8/10 to C80/95. This created a good bandwidth for concrete products within various strength classes.