Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important issue in the construction industry. At the same time, sustainable building also involves the use of sustainable building materials. As the first manufacturer of geosynthetics, HUESKER Synthetic GmbH based in Gescher, Germany, has been awarded the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for its geogrid Fortrac® T by the IBU – Institute Construction and Environment (Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V.).
In an independent examination, the product life cycle of stages A1 to A3 (raw material supply/manufacturing, transport to the manufacturer, production) of Fortrac® T were compiled according to the European Standard EN 15804 and the results of the life cycle assessment verified in terms of the environmental impact, use of resources as well as waste products and categories of waste.
About Fortrac® T
Fortrac® T is a flexible, high-modulus, low-creep geogrid made from polyester enclosed in a polymer coating. Geogrids in the Fortrac® product range boast a 30-year-plus track record and have been installed in soil reinforcement applications for thousands of construction projects all over the world.
Environmental Product Declaration: Significance for the Construction Industry
Evidence to prove that construction solutions using geosynthetics today are more economical and resource-efficient compared with conventional construction procedures in many different fields has been documented in various publications. Furthermore, environmental product declarations provide comprehensive, quantitative and comparable information on the individual products. This forms the basis for assessing a construction project when taking a holistic view of the sustainability of a project. In addition, declarations are being increasingly required by the public sector.
The first step has been taken towards achieving sustainable construction using geosynthetics. As a company operating on an international scale, the HUESKER Group takes responsibility for its actions by publishing details of the raw materials, transport routes and manufacturing processes whilst also continuing to focus on future-oriented economic, social and ecological solutions using geosynthetics.
About HUESKER Synthetic GmbH
The HUESKER Group is one of the leading international manufacturers of geosynthetics, agricultural and technical textiles. With its products and services the company offers solutions for the fields of Earthworks and Foundations, Roads and Pavements, Environmental Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, applications in Industry and Agriculture. As a pioneer of technical textiles HUESKER has been helping to shape the international markets for over 150 years.
The head office of the HUESKER Group is in Gescher (Westphalia), Germany and the company has international subsidiaries in Great Britain, Spain, Italy, France, the Netherlands, the USA, Brazil and Russia. In addition, HUESKER closely cooperates with trade and sales partners as well as having its own representatives in more than 60 countries. This ensures that HUESKER is able to offer high-quality products and competent engineering consulting services all over the world.
HUESKER offers an extensive palette of synthetic geogrids, woven and knitted fabrics, composites and clay liners. Nonwoven products as well as drainage and anti-erosion mats complete the range. www.huesker.de
