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13.02.2023 - Striving for sustainable development in the construction industry

Hi-Con is a member of the Council for Sustainable Construction

Hi-Con is a member of the Council for Sustainable Construction

What is the Council for Sustainable Construction and DGNB?

 

“Rådet for Bæredygtigt Byggeri”, or the Council for Sustainable Construction in English, is a Danish non-profit organization that works towards a healthy and sustainable development of the construction industry with minimal climate impact. An important part of their work is the management of DGNB certifications.

 

DGNB is a voluntary certification scheme that evaluates construction, buildings, and urban areas based on 36 criteria across 6 key areas. The key areas include environmental quality, economic quality, and social quality. The construction is then ranked as bronze, silver, gold, or platinum, and has the potential to receive additional accolades such as heart, diamond, and planet.

 

For example, to achieve a DGNB Platinum certification, the project must score at least 80% in the overall assessment and at least 65% in each of the key areas.

 

In addition to certifications, the Council for Sustainable Construction also offers knowledge, advice, and workshops to promote sustainability in the construction industry.

What does membership mean for us?

At Hi-Con, we are aware of the significant importance that sustainable projects, materials, and resources have for our clients, our world, and our future.

 

Therefore, we have a clear goal of reducing our environmental impact throughout the entire process and continuously challenging and improving our Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC). We, therefore, have a strong motivation to become more sustainable and actively work on developing the elements and resources we use in our daily work.

 

Our membership with the Council for Sustainable Construction is another step in the right direction as it provides Hi-Con with the opportunity to gain more knowledge about sustainability and receive guidance on how we can improve.

 

You can read more about the sustainable properties UHPC possesses here: 

Sustainability

How do we positively contribute to the development?

 

Here you have some concrete examples of how our company and material can contribute positively to a healthier development:

 

  • We have a product specific EPD (Environmental Product Declaration), which means that we only impact the construction with the actual load. If a sector EPD is used, a factor of 1.1 is added, and for generic data, a penalty factor of 1.3 is applied.
  • When evaluated per cubic meter, we have a higher impact compared to ordinary concrete. However, when evaluated per functional unit - such as a square meter balcony - as done in DGNB, our calculations show that we have 25% less impact than ordinary concrete, as we use slim elements. In comparison to steel balconies, we have been evaluated in a specific project where we only had half the impact of the steel balcony.
  • Due to our slim elements, we save resources.
  • Our material requires no maintenance.
  • We have a very long lifespan - over 100 years - eliminating the need for replacement.
  • We typically use a design that allows for separation, contributing to the circular economy.
  • In addition, we contribute in several other areas. We use no environmentally hazardous substances, provide architectural quality, our structures are moisture and fire-resistant, and are of high quality. Moreover, we can often design relatively large balconies for buildings, providing a great outdoor experience.

Would you like to know more?

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