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Minimal material usage and high durability

GRC & Environmental Impact

An Important Choice

Should you environmentally certify your project?

Focus on environmental impact, sustainability, and CO2 is increasingly important in the construction industry, in architecture, and in design. This growing focus naturally creates demand, and the popularity of environmental certifications such as LEED, BREEAM, and DGNB is greater than ever.

However, not all building materials are equally suitable for use in constructions where environmental awareness and impact take top priority.

In such projects, a carefully considered choice of materials, along with considerations regarding the material in relation to the entire building, is crucial. The choice of facade cladding, such as lightweight and thin elements in GRC, can, for example, affect the size of the foundation and the choice of supporting structure.

Our GRC is used in quite the number of environmentally certified buildings. Precisely because the material choice has been made carefully – with a focus on the overall building, weight, and, not least, durability.

On this page, you can read about the many reasons why our GRC is a popular choice for buildings undergoing environmental certification. You will also find our EPD, certificates for green electricity, and more.

If you have questions about the environmental impact of our GRC, you are always welcome to contact us.

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FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Environmental benefits of GRC

 

  • 100+ years of design life
  • Thin, lightweight elements with high strength
  • Low energy consumption in production
  • Reduced cement content per square meter
  • Reduced transport costs
  • Reduced load on the building
  • Resistant to all types of weather
  • No technical maintenance after installation
  • Always tailored solutions to avoid waste – both in production and on the construction site
  • Great design freedom with space for architectural visions
  • Possibility of recycling in later renovations
  • Can be used in road filling after use

EPD (Environmental Product Declaration)

An environmental product declaration is a useful tool for environmental certifications.

The EPD is calculated according to international standards by an independent third party. It communicates an assessment of energy and resource consumption, as well as environmental impacts throughout the product's lifecycle.

At BB fiberbeton, we have a clear goal of reducing the environmental impact during our production, transport, and use of our GRC elements. Thus, we continuously work on the development of our products, production, and work methods, and since 2021, we have had an EPD for our GRC.

When calculating the environmental footprint of a building – for example, for a DGNB or LEED certification – it is important to consider the materials it is constructed with. For this purpose, our EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) is an important tool that provides concrete information about our GRC, transportation, production process, and the use of our product.

Since we exclusively deliver elements in customized dimensions, always specifically tailored to each project, our EPD is based on a calculation per square meter. This ensures that all projects have the actual figures they need in their work with environmental certifications.

Download our EPD today.

Downloads

RECS Certificate

Power from Renewable Energy Sources

While our production only requires low energy consumption, we have taken additional steps to reduce our environmental footprint during production by purchasing certified green electricity through the Renewable Energy Certificate System (RECS). We have been doing this since 2021.

Our RECS Certificate guarantees that our electricity comes from renewable energy sources, such as wind turbines and solar panels.

Downloads

Few probably associate concrete elements with low environmental impact but rather think of large, thick, and heavy elements with significant amounts of cement and CO2 emissions as a result. GRC is in a completely different league! Here, low environmental impact is a key advantage because GRC is produced as thin, customized elements, and the cement content and other raw materials are thus kept low. This is possible due to the high strength and impressive durability of GRC."

Simon Hertzum,
CEO, BB fiberbeton A/S

Environmental Certifications

The DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen) system originates from Germany and is an internationally recognized certification. The certification focuses holistically on sustainability by incorporating environmental, as well as social and economic aspects.

Overall, a DGNB assessment is made based on nine criteria, including ecology, economy, technology, process, and site quality. The assessment is made in relation to the full lifecycle of a project and all its different phases. The rankings within DGNB certifications include "Bronze," "Silver," "Gold," and "Platinum."

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a classification system that originated in the USA and is widely recognized internationally, and used worldwide. The focus here is on measuring the efficiency of a building's design and operation, based on factors such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 reduction, material selection, and indoor environmental quality.

The classification is based on earning points across all categories, all related to environmentally conscious construction. Based on the number of points earned, a building can be certified as either "Certified," "Silver," "Gold," or "Platinum."

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a British certification method used globally and has the flexibility to be adapted to local conditions. The evaluation is based on a points system awarded in categories such as energy efficiency, transportation, materials, water management, health, and comfort. Certifications based on points are awarded as ”Pass,” ”Good,” ”Very Good,” ”Excellent,” and ”Outstanding”.

BREEAM certifications can take place at different stages in the lifecycle of a construction project. For example, BREEAM-”In Use” assesses the environmental performance of a building during its operational phase. Local adaptations of the BREEAM certification are marked as such, for instance, BREEAM-Nor for the Norwegian adaptation.

Find Inspiration

Projects with Environmental Certifications

Bjørvika's most colorful building

Clemenskvartalet

Renovation of iconic building in Copenhagen

NH Collection Copenhagen

Sustainable cladding in Sweden

Priorn

Total renovation of landmark towers

Sorgenfrivang II

Formable GRC facade in Sweden

Flundran
See all projects

Let Us Answer Your GRC Questions

FAQ

The short answer is no.

With a GRC facade cladding, you get a technically maintenance-free facade.

If necessary, the facade can be cleaned, after which it will appear new again. 

 

Do you want to know more about the material properties of GRC?  

Read more here.

Yes, GRC facade cladding can be easily cleaned to make it look like new.  

Furthermore, our latest development in GRC has achieved a better finish and a smoother surface, increasing resistance to algae and dirt. 

 

Do you want to know more about the material properties of GRC?  

Read more here.

It's rare for any material to be truly "sustainable." 

Our GRC possesses several qualities that make it ideal for projects seeking environmental certifications or where CO2 emissions are a critical factor in the project. 

For instance, we can emphasize the following qualities that are relevant to environmental impact and may be useful for comparisons with materials such as concrete, metal, and wood: 

 

Weight and Strength: 

GRC is a very strong material, and our techniques and high material quality allow us to create incredibly thin elements - as thin as 12 mm. 

This means that our GRC elements are very light - light enough to be installed on a load-bearing timber structure. The elements impose a very low load on the building. 

The lightweight of the elements reduces transportation costs, and since we always produce to measure, there is wasted no resources on transporting material that might be cut off and discarded later. 

 

Durability & Lifespan: 

Our GRC has a durability of more than 100 years and requires minimal maintenance after installation. The elements can easily be cleaned to look like new if the need arises. 

Often, our elements will outlast other parts of a building, and we are starting to see examples of our elements being carefully removed, cleaned, and reused during renovations. 

Coupled with a production process free of toxic substances, with low energy consumption, and a focus on minimizing waste (e.g., by producing only to measure), our GRC is also a good choice if you want to environmentally certify your construction project. 

 

Weather Resistance: 

GRC is an incredibly resistant material. Compared to other building materials like wood and metal, it neither rots, rusts, dents, nor burns. 

Facade cladding in our GRC is also resistant to all weather conditions - freezing cold as well as scorching heat - providing you with a solid building envelope that lasts for many years. 

 

All of the above makes our GRC an obvious material choice if you want to certify your construction project for environmental sustainability, and if CO2 emissions, environmental impact, and EPD documentation are crucial in your project. 

You can find our EPD here.  

Yes, GRC is a fire resistant material.

Our GRC has an A1 fire classification in accordance with EN 13501-1:2018.

 

Do you want to know more about the material properties of GRC?  

Read more here.

GRC is the general term for glassfibre reinforced concrete, which is a cement-based composite material reinforced with glassfibres.  

The glassfibres enhance its flexural and tensile strength and improve fire resistance. This makes GRC cladding more durable and resistant compared to conventional concrete cladding. 

Compared to conventional concrete elements, GRC has a thinner cross-section with a typical thickness of only 12 mm. This results in a lower component weight, reducing the load on the building. The thinness and low weight make GRC elements easier to handle, transport, and install. 

GRC is an exceptionally formable material that can be shaped into complex geometries that are not achievable with conventional concrete.  

 

See examples of how our GRC has been used in other projects right here.

GRC or GFRC? What is what...?

You have probably come across both acronyms when researching glassfibre reinforced concrete and it can (understandably) be quite confusing as the two terms are used interchangeably.

Both terms reference the exact same material: 

a type of concrete that combines cement, water, a polymer admixture, and glassfibres.

 

The reason for the two acronyms is mainly founded in a difference in spelling between British and American English.

As such, the British acronym "GRC" is on occasion referred to as glass reinforced concrete as it is devoid of the F that is prevalent in the American acronym, "GFRC".

However, it is simply dependent on the difference in the British spelling “glassfibre” and the American spelling “glass fiber”, which separates the two words.

As BB fiberbeton has both a Danish and a British factory, we use the British acronym and spelling. 

We'd Love to Help You!

Let's go through your project together and discover how our GRC can bring your vision to life

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