“The LowCo house for Fletcher Living was an overall eco drive across all materials and energy efficient performance,” explains Rob McKinnon, Materials Manager (Northern) for Firth. “This required us to produce a minimum of EC34 to achieve the rating required. Our standard concretes have a high EC rating but we added Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) to the mix to allow us to reach the EC34 requirement. We investigated both flyash and Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag (GGBS) options, eventually deciding on the GGBS for the house slab.”
Firth leading the way in sustainability with a win at the NZ Concrete Awards
Firth achieved a major industry milestone when awarded the ‘Carbon Reduction Award’ at the NZ Concrete Awards held in September, for our contribution to Fletcher Living’s LowCo home, with the supply of EcoMix low carbon concrete and EcoPave permeable paving.
Fletcher Living’s LowCo (low carbon) pilot scheme home at Waiata Shores in Auckland showcases the commitment of Fletcher Living (along with Firth) to a sustainable future. By using seven times less carbon and half the electricity and water of a standard home, LowCo sets a new benchmark for low-carbon living in New Zealand by achieving an unprecedented Homestar 10 rating.
“We are very happy to see that Holland FlowPave was recognised in the sustainability awards win at the NZ Concrete Awards,” says Steve Crossland, Technical Specification & Innovation Advisor (Masonry) for Firth. “FlowPave is part of our Permeable Paving range which helps manage stormwater peak flows and improves water quality by filtering harmful pollutants - helping to keep our waterways clean and healthy.”
“Supplied to Fletcher Living for their LowCo home, along with Firth EcoMix, FlowPave is a cost effective, aesthetically pleasing system which contributed to the overall achievement of Homestar 10 for this project.”
“Thanks go to our Certified and Masonry technical teams for the work that went into having these products available for use by Fletcher Living for this ground-breaking project,” says Trevor Sawyer, Head of Technical for Firth. “The continued development of our products to be lower in embodied carbon will ensure Firth continues to lead the way in the building industry to be more sustainable in the production of residential housing and commercial buildings.”