A CO2 reduction innovation in construction

Lightweight biomass prefab concrete

Patent granted

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Supporting worldwide CO2 reduction objectives by creating technology driven sustainable construction propositions

Latest News

Nov 2022 (source: WEF)

“We’re gonna keep 1.5 degrees Celcius alive and that is our goal.” That is how former US Secretary of State and now the US’s first Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John F. Kerry opened the First Movers Coalition Leaders Panel as it came together at COP27 to provide a progress report, a year on from when it was launched by President Biden at COP26 in partnership with the World Economic Forum. 

At Davos 2022, the aluminium industry joined the shipping, steel, trucking and aviation sectors on the First Movers Coalition. At COP27, Kerry was excited to announce new entrants, concrete and cement. Cement is the second most-used product on earth after water and is responsible for about 7% of global emissions, so this is a big deal. First movers pledged to purchase at least 10% near zero carbon cement and concrete by 2030. 

With an Econcreed net (!) contribution of 80kg CO2/m3 with (local for local available) biomass based concrete, implementation of patented Econcreed additives and prefab concrete construction concepts, could support and contribute to the speed of CO2 reduction in concrete construction applications.

Oktober 2022

Professionals exchange potential of biobased economy at Miscanthus Expo 2022 Amsterdam

https://fb.watch/io_C8XwQfn/

At the Expo 2022, Strukton (Top 5 Infra construction company in the Netherlands) showed its Green Silence Wall, based on Miscanthus biomass based concrete. A product concept jointly realised with the patented Econcreed additive, which enables the processing of biomass into cement mixtures, regulating  the water absorption level of biomass.

September 2022

An interesting  topic on Dutch State TV (min 20.27) https://www.npostart.nl/AT_300002996  concluding the interesting potential of Miscanthus as a so called Super Climate Plant. One example showing 70 Ha’s currently farmed at the runway sides of Schiphol Airport Amsterdam. Apart from Miscanthus being a natural barrier to geese in both summer and winter (either 3 Mtr of height and very dense or sharp remainder of material once harvested), the Super Climate Plant produces (> 20 years long, on poor soil, low maintenance, no fertilisation or weed control) biomass material for energy, bedding, construction, bioplastics or paper industry purposes. With high CO2 capture potential the TV programme shows a successful Infra construction Green Silence Wall produced by Strukton (Top 5 Infra companies in NL) , where Econcreed jointly developed and supplied the biomass additive to be able to process interesting volumes of Miscanthus biomass into a cement mix.

Securing long term fossilisation and CO2 capturing. Resulting in light weight prefab construction material, net CO2 footprint per m3 of biobased concrete and a sustainable and additional income farming model.  source: NPO

Critical sustainability megatrends that define the Future of Construction: (source: WEF june 2016) 

Critical sustainability megatrends that define the Future of Construction:
200.000 people are added daily  to urban areas in search of affordable housing and infrastructure. 30 % of global CO2 emissions are attributable to buildings. 50% of all solid waste in the US is produced by the construction industry.

I.e the construction industry is the largest global consumer of resources (50% of global steel)  en raw materials (3 Bln tons) per year are needed for production of building products. 

That is why we as Econcreed are so passionate and convinced that we need to grow towards a more biobased economy. By contributing through our R&D efforts with a continuous flow of sustainable product concepts for construction, with focus on speeding up CO2 reduction and exploring increased use of (local for local) sustainable biomass. One of the vital routes to manage environmental challenges in the near future.

July 2022 (source: boom-in-business.nl) 

Towards a biobased economy

‘Miscanthus is an organic crop, from which bioplastics, insulation material for construction and paper are made, among other things; you can get a lot out of it. The fixtures of the LED lighting in our warehouse are made of potato starch and Miscanthus. I think this will be the crop of the future. In addition, it absorbs a lot of CO2, three to four times as much as a forest. That makes it a very suitable crop if you want to do business in a CO2-neutral way. I suspect that there will be more carbon credits in the future.

Not only biobased insulation material is at proof of concept phase in our Econcreed R&D pipeline (a 100% biobased and 100% fire resistant insulation material), but Econcreed sustainable construction material is already available on the Dutch market. Strukton (top 5 construction companies in NL) produces Green Silence/Noise Reduction Walls next to railways, residential areas, as well as sound absorbing& fire resistant tunnel panels, where the Econcreed additive takes care of water absorption regulation of Miscanthus biomass being used.

15th of july, 2021. PFAS free!. The Dutch government, together with Germany, Denmark Sweden and Norway today have decided to ban all PFAS based products.
PFAS being the collective name for dirt- water- and fire repellant properties in products.
Since sustainable solutions has been the key focus for Econcreed from the start, we are able to guarantee that our Econcreed additive is free from PFAS!

The Econcreed additive is being used to treat and regulate the biomass water absorption balance so that we are able to process a high percentage of biomass (CO2 reduction) into cement mixtures and building plates species.

June 2021, Corona Netherlands. Corona for Econcreed gave a period of unsecurity for potential concrete producers in Europe, not knowing in which direction their business would further develop.
Meantime developments and testing procedures where picked up again by all parties involved, confirming that the CO2 reduction proposition of Econcreed will create part of the answer towards increasing international government regulations on sustainability.

April 2021, Catttail biomass pitch, the Netherlands. End of April Econcreed was asked to pitch at the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture and Economy for an innovative product concept with integration of Cattail and Miscanthus as important Paludi culture crops. With the objective to intensify crop growth leading to higher waterlevels and therefore reduce the CO2 emission of these worldwide spread wetlands cultures. The Econcreed additive enables the regulation of moist absorption of the biomass Cattail which than can be integrated as prepared biomass into concrete mixtures. Integration of both crops as future construction applications were presented based on the existing Econcreed Miscanthus know how. Further tests recently have been started.

November 18th 2019, Econcreed article in Belgian national newspaper HNL. Econcreed was no.2 finalist at the ABN AMRO BANK Innovation Challenge in Construction. Out of 40 pitches and in front of 700 visitors and a professional jury, Econcreed was selected as most innovative biomass construction material for Residential, Utility and Infra. During a recent historic Royal Belgium Trademission to China on the 18th of November, our Belgian Econcreed collegue was interviewed by the national Belgian newspaper HNL. As part of a Greentech presentation in China, Econcreed biomass concrete (using Miscanthus or Elephant grass) was mentioned to be one of the first worldwide solutions to seriously reduce worldwide CO2 emissions in Construction. With many corporate reactions in only 1 week time as a result.See more at: Belg ontwikkelt biobeton met dank aan olifantengras: “Tot nu maakten we beton nog altijd zoals de Romeinen”

September 16th 2019, Econcreed at Project Drawdown, Pennsylvania University, Philadelphia, USA. Econcreed was invited by the Project Drawdown organization to pitch Econcreed in front of 1.000 international congress visitors as a best practice and leverage example how CO2 emission reduction can be realized in Residential, Utility and Infra construction. The week after Econcreed was invited to join the New York Climate Summit congress for further introduction into the international sustainability network, which Econcreed will be using to further expand its international scale up.

September 12th 2019, Econcreed no. 2 finalist innovation challenge in construction, the Netherlands. Econcreed was no.2 finalist at the ABN AMRO BANK Innovation Challenge in Construction. Out of 40 pitches and in front of 700 visitors and a professional jury, Econcreed was selected as most innovative biomass construction material for Residential, Utility and Infra.

Our lightweight Miscanthus biomass concrete has hereby been acknowledged as the no.1 CO2 reducing concrete solution in construction. Econcreed delivers a unique negative CO2 emission per m3 and is 100% recyclable.

In the last 2 years numerous Econcreed noise barrier projects have already been placed in the Netherlands and 2019 is the start up for Residential and Utility application in NL, Belgium and the UK. Simultaneously Econcreed is actively searching for and approaching local partnerships in other European countries and outside the European market.

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MISCANTHUS GIGANTEUS IN CONSTRUCTION

Miscanthus is a fast growing biomass crop (cane like) which reaches a yearly height of 4 meters and can be yearly harvested for 20-25 years without mentionable weed management and use of herbicides. Furthermore Miscanthus is a so called C4 crop which absorbs 5 times more CO2 compared to young and fast growing wood species. A very sustainable crop thus which is being used for biomass energy production, stable beddings and cattle feeding. After preparation it is also being used in the paper and biocomposites industry.

By means of a specifically developed additive by our R & D department, Econcreed Miscanthus is made suitable for a larger biomass share use in construction.  Enabling a higher CO2 reduction compensation in concrete applications throught its high CO2 biomass absorption potential. With various patents granted. 

A patented sustainable innovation which reduces CO2 in construction!

Econcreed additive: our biomass moist absorption regulator

Core of our granted patent is the Econcreed additive. Key at the start of the Econcreed construction concept.
The additive enables biomass integration into concrete mixtures by regulating their specific water absorption potential
and ensures longterm CO2 reduction through the biomass fossilization proces.
The additive is applicable on various biomass species like rice husk (Asia Pacific/India, Southern EU, Africa regions), woodchips, hemp, sunflower pith,
and the like. Specials tests on request

SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION APPLICATIONS

Being able to process pretreated Miscanthus particles into a concrete mix, results in a density of 800 kg/m3, positive CO2 footprint !, >99% recyclability, for non bearing and light constructive means in precast concrete applications for Residential, Utility and Infra use.

Example applications like noise reduction walls, high fire resistant tunnel panels, fire protective walls, non bearing separation walls, building blocks, flooring, construction panels, cladding and more. With excellent noise reduction and thermal properties.
And also crucial; offering a comparable No.1 position in extreme low environmental impact costs.

NUMBER 1 IN NET CO2 REDUCTION

Lets build and restore
The answer to increased 2030 regulations on CO2 reduction in construction
Econcreed= net positive (!) CO2 footprint of 80 kg CO2/ m3

5 TIMES MORE CO2 CAPTURING IN CONCRETE

A yield of 20.000 KG softwood = 6.000 KG of CO2 absorption
A yield of 20.000 KG Miscanthus = 35.000 KG of CO2 absorption
5 times more CO2 absorption captured in Econcreed construction material

1/3 OF WEIGHT

Density Econcreed is 800 kg/m3  compared to 1 m3 of concrete (2400 kg)
Lower environmental impact
Improved working conditions

LOWEST ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT COSTS

No 1 position in lowest environmental costs impact
45% below No 2 position
Made comparable to all optional separation wall materials
Highest NEN (Dutch Normalization Norm) against fire and smoke

CIRCULARITY > 99%

Final CO2 reduction through > 99% recyclability
More Econcreed means more recyclability, structural more CO2 reduction
Econcreed: a path to more sustainable construction concepts

THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY

The cry for CO2 reduction is valid all over the world and principally agreed upon in the international Paris 2015 agreement. With a global share of 11% in CO2 emission of buildings and construction, the urgent cry for CO2 reduction is principally agreed upon in the international Paris 2015 agreement. With increased objectives for the years 2030-2050. More sustainable CO2 reducing construction is not only contributing to preserve our existing global eco system, but also results in improved health for people living in better buildings, as well as improved working productivity by creating better surroundings, working conditions and noise protection. 

Econcreed: a CO2 reduction proposition in construction being made concrete

Creating solutions on the importance of focus on sustainability, Econcreed meanwhile has delivered Eco noise reduction panels in INFRA and is starting up non-bearing separation walls concepts and more options in RESIDENTIAL construction. With an interesting sustainable R&D pipeline.

Also Econcreed is the answer to a growing demand for sustainable prefab solutions whereas the greying workforce and lack of qualified professionals in construction is becoming a more and more limiting factor in construction planning and costs.

THE MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS

INFRASTRUCTURE

Econcreed applications for noise barriers for trains, highways and tunnels (panels)

RESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION

Econcreed for non-bearing walls, building blocks, cladding and other light constructive applications in residential construction, office buildings, warehousing and stable construction

FLOORING PANELS / CYCLE PATHS

Econcreed for light construction flooring, panels for Infrastructures / commercial construction and panels for cycle paths

PUBLIC WORKS

Econcreed for eco friendly lightweight concrete street furniture, paving and similar applications

ABOUT US

Econcreed is a product concept by Durecon BV. With focus on R&D and based in the Netherlands and Belgium, Durecon Group BV develops innovative – nano technology driven- product concepts and produces additives, cleaners and coatings. Ensuring our customers a sustainable B2B and B2C future business.
Durecon (https://durecongroup.com/en/) principal focus is on following segments: Construction – Facility/Maintenance – Health/ Dental care

DISTRIBUTORS AND MANUFACTURERS

Since Econcreed is a local for local sustainable construction concept, we are looking for local partnerships in the EU, USA and ASIA PACIFIC.
Pls contact us to explore opportunities and our support means.

Contact

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US FOR SENDING YOU THE DECLARATION OF PERFORMANCE AND FACTSHEET OF THE MATERIAL.

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