If customers want a carbon neutral product, Kijlstra is offering to offsets emissions embedded in the manufacturing process by supporting renewable hydropower projects in developing countries.
A report by carbon management consultant Carbon Clear has identified the carbon impact per tonne of manufactured standard and Vario (bespoke) precast concrete manholes and floor elements at each stage of the process from manufacturing to supply to site.
The report looked at the holistic manufacture of Kijlstra’s precast concrete products and associated elements (such as steel, rubber and adhesive) in terms of material extraction, pre-processing and production, and distribution to Kijlstra’s factory and their fabrication there.
It then reviewed the shipping element or emissions from suppliers to Kijlstra’s factory in Holland, and transport from there to the port at Rotterdam for materials being shipped to the UK as well as delivery by articulated truck.
Carbon Clear used a partial PAS 2050 life-cycle assessment to conduct the study over a year and this involved site visits and data collection via questionnaires, supported by recognised data from sources such as DEFRA and Bath University’s ICE database.
Bespoke models have also been created for projects including NMC Nomenca’s installation of a large CSO tank at Severn Trent Water’s £2.8m sewage tertiary treatment works project at Crankley Point in Newark, Nottinghamshire.
Kijlstra managing director David Williams said: “We are delighted we are now in the position of being able to help our clients meet their green targets by offering them the opportunity to offset the carbon footprint of our products used on their projects.”
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