Our sustainability
The construction sector is generally a fairly major polluter, ranging from raw material consumption to energy consumption. The construction sector also has large CO2 emissions. We want to make a difference here by offering sustainable building materials to architects, installers and private individuals. Discover below how we make efforts to take care of the planet.
A fiber cement panel that’s all natural, for nature’s sake
The Puro Plus facade panel is our showpiece when it comes to sustainability.
On the one hand, this is a pure fiber cement panel, without paint. We don't add anything extra to the basic formula. Because there is no coating or paint on this facade panel, the panel can breathe, as it were, better than coloured fiber cement panels. During the time it hangs on the facade, it stores CO2, a process known as carbonation. With its 8 mm thickness, the CO2 can penetrate more quickly into the core of the material and the panel has a larger storage volume. 12 m² of Puro Plus on the facade can store as much as a native tree, good for a carbon storage of 2 kilogrammes.
Source: "Maximizing CO2 Sequestration in Cement-Bonded Fiberboards through Carbonation Curing" (Sciencedirect, 2019) (Lab results, SVK, 2013).
In addition, there is also the resource efficiency of Puro Plus, a factor that contributes to sustainability. Because the panel is so strong, a thickness of 8 mm is sufficient and this is much less intensive in terms of raw materials. This also benefits transport, as fewer finished products need to be delivered to cover a facade. All this provides a more sustainable option than many other building materials, as is shown by the Construction Material Pyramid from the Royal Danish Academy.
Let's compare with other facade applications:
Puro Plus versus facing bricks
On average 34% lower ecological footprint,
equivalent to:
• an avoided gas consumption of 27 m³ per m² of facade
• planting 2 trees per m² of facade
Puro Plus versus aluminium
On average 40% lower ecological footprint,
equivalent to:
• an avoided gas consumption of 32 m³ per m² of facade
• planting 2 trees per m² of facade
Source: "The Construction Material Pyramid", CINARK – Centre for Industrialised Architecture, The Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design, Conservation. CINARK owns all the rights to the Construction Material Pyramid, including all copyrights.
The raw materials used in our fiber cement products are harmless to the environment and can also be ground up and used as an inert additive. At SVK we are pioneers in this area. We have been processing the waste that arises during production for years (including sawing and rejected materials).
If you want to build sustainably, you'll choose Puro Plus for the planet.
Quality rhymes with sustainability
We use the Hatschek process, which was invented in 1894, to make our fiber cement products. Producing fiber cement using this method ensures a proven lifespan of at least 50 years. Thin layers of fiber cement are applied on top of each other to the desired thickness of 8 mm. This makes the fiber cement less likely to tear and break than when it is poured into a mould.
But it doesn't stop there. We opt for a double pressing, which means our panels have a higher density than panels that have only been pressed once. This makes SVK fiber cement extra strong and stable.
When we look at the life cycle assessment (LCA), fiber cement performs very well. This analysis examines the environmental impact of products from raw material to the waste processing phase. If we compare these results with other building elements, it appears that a fiber cement structure is a sustainable solution for the outer shell.
We also demand quality in the components of our fiber cement. SVK chooses micro-silica as a filler. Unlike sand, this substance provides greater strength as it fills the smallest spaces in the fiber cement during the production process. By filling these small spaces, there is significantly less chance of weak points, resulting in better resistance to cracks or breaks.
It doesn’t just stop at products
Because we really want to make a difference, we think about sustainability in a broad sense. The team is therefore looking for ways in which we can further reduce our emissions or help people even better.
A building must provide safety and security, whether it's an office, a public building, your house or apartment. Unfortunately, something can always go wrong, such as a fire, and this can have disastrous consequences.
Thanks to SVK's fire-safe fiber cement products, you can limit the risks and ensure that both people and the building remain safe. Our products have a fire reaction class A2-s1, d0. This means that the fiber cement does not contribute to the development of flames, there is minimal smoke formation, and no burning droplets fall from our products during a fire. Our facade materials also comply with the European standard EN 13501-1.
The new fire legislation in practice
The new Belgian fire legislation imposes specific requirements on buildings according to height, namely:
- Low buildings (height < 10 m)
- Medium-height buildings (10 m ≤ height ≤ 25 m)
- High buildings (height > 25 m)
When we look at the requirements for exterior cladding, we see that for the strictest requirement (high buildings) they must have at least a fire reaction class of A2-s3, d0. All our fiber cement products comply with this, which makes SVK facade panels the strongest link. It's important for the entire facade execution that all essential components used (supporting structure, substructure, insulation materials, thermal breaks, sealants, vapour barriers, tapes, etc.) must meet the requirements set in the legislation.
Water has played a major role throughout our history. More than 100 years ago, SVK mined clay on its sites, creating wells that filled with water.
Today, these wells are still important as a retention basin to avoid flooding in the area and for fauna and flora in the city, but they also serve as a raw material for our production process.
We have the ambition to use a closed water circuit in our production. Through this contribution we can become even more economical and contribute to a sustainable society. In this way we can fight water scarcity together.
Talk to an expert
Do you still have specific questions? You can always contact our technical team without obligation. They will be happy to advise you on the specifications, installation and colour selection of our products.