Green award for Lafarge

A UNIQUE, eco-friendly commercial flooring concrete has earned Lafarge a prestigious environmental award.

The building materials giant is among the major winners in this years Green Apple Environmental Awards, for its innovative ExtensiaTM low shrink concrete.

This breakthrough in concrete flooring technology needs no steel mesh or steel fibres and is 100 per cent recyclable, offering a carbon emission saving of 20 per cent compared to conventional concrete.

Jeremy Greenwood, Managing Director Readymix, Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete UK, will receive the award at a glittering ceremony to be held at the House of Commons in November.

The success also sees Lafarge A&C's invitation to join the International Green Heroes, an elite group of environmental achievers who use their experience to help thousands of others - and the environment - around the world.

And the company, with a head office in Syston, Leicester, remains in the running to represent the UK in the European Business Awards for the Environment

Jeremy said:

"Being recognised for our innovation and sustainable credentials is something I am very proud of; not only is it a great achievement, but rewards each and every employee for all of their hard work and determination in these fields."

Lafarge's prize for ExtensiaTM comes in the Environmental Best Practice section.

Unlike conventional concrete ExtensiaTM features low shrinkage properties which reduce cracking, minimise drying deformities and reduce porosity.

This advanced design means there is no need to include steel mesh or steel fibre to control drying shrinkage.

Its high flexural strength also means it can be laid in thinner slabs, reducing the total amount of concrete required.

This breakthrough formulation means the use of ExtensiaTM can reduce the carbon emissions of the construction process by 20 per cent.
And the absence of steel makes the flooring 100 per cent recyclable.
It took two years to develop ExtensiaTM following feedback from customers who wanted a concrete with better sustainable credentials.
Now the product is available in the UK and Canada.

Sustainability is vital to the Lafarge way of working and ExtensiaTM is just one of a range of products developed to offer greener construction solutions.

Lafarge's commitment to sustainability was recently celebrated by the achievement of the Carbon Trust Standard.

The Standard is the world's first award which requires an organisation to measure, manage and reduce its carbon emissions and actually make real reductions year-on-year.

The company operates under three major priorities: fighting against global warming, enhancing biodiversity and ensuring health and safety in the workforce.

The Green Apple Awards began in 1994 and are organised by The Green Organisation, an independent, non-political, non-activist, non-profit environmental group dedicated to recognising, rewarding and promoting environmental best practice around the world.

www.lafarge.co.uk