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Since its establishment in 1918, Koers of Hoogersmilde has developed into a leading specialist in GWW in the field of sustainable semi-paving. The company produces in-house developed permeable pavements which, thanks to their unique properties, reduce heat stress and buffer water. Sustainability is emphatically the guiding principle here. Koers now operates fully CO2-neutral. Moreover, it recently became one of the first companies in the industry to have the MKI values of its products calculated. The low scores on these are a reward for the efforts and investments the company has made in recent years to be as sustainable as possible.
The advisory document of the Circular Construction Economy Transition Team sets out the preconditions for the transition to a circular construction economy. On this basis, the government has determined that materials with the lowest possible environmental impact should be used throughout the life cycle. "To make these strategic focal points measurable, the Environmental Cost Indicator, or MKI, is being used within the GWW sector," said Jakob Baar, account manager for North and Central Netherlands. "In this measuring tool, all aspects of the entire life cycle, i.e. including production, use phase and cleanup phase, are taken into account."
"In terms of sustainability, we have been extraordinarily active for several decades," Baar explains. "For example, we have already made our production process highly sustainable in recent years. In addition, the Koersmixes we produce contribute solidly to the lowest possible environmental impact. A life cycle analysis carried out by a third party has therefore shown that the EQI values of these partially recyclable and fully reusable products are very low. To illustrate, the Heading mix pavements are less than 2 euros per square meter. The Heading Mix semi-paving products score even lower than 1 euro per square meter." On its way to these extremely low MKI scores, Koers has pulled out all the stops in recent years. Meanwhile, the entire production site runs on self-generated solar energy. Furthermore, the entire vehicle fleet and road construction machinery runs on GTL fuel, a much cleaner and safer fuel than conventional diesel.
In addition to their very low MKI values, Koers' high-quality semi-paved surfaces are distinguished by their unique composition. "As a result, they offer the best properties demanded around the construction of bicycle and hiking trails, for example," continues Baar. "The products are water- and air-permeable, very stable and low maintenance. Partly because of this, they represent unprecedented user comfort and do not smear during rainfall. In addition, the Heading mixes have a very long service life and are fully recyclable. Thanks in part to their excellent water permeability, they also reduce heat stress and allow plants and trees to grow. So not only do our products have a low environmental impact, they also create a cooler and greener world."
