Reuse is the key word when HG company Malco lays 7,000 square meters of terrazzo flooring and stairs in one of Norway's most ambitious construction projects. With a virtually waste-free production process, the company is helping to set a new standard for sustainability in the construction industry.
- This is an incredibly exciting sustainability project, and it's fantastic to be able to contribute with our solutions, says Rune Andersen proudly.
Rune is project manager and responsible for terrazzo at Malco. Wearing a hard hat and reflective vest, he walks quickly through the construction site, while enthusiastically explaining the new solution the company has come up with.
New standards for sustainability
Construction City will be an attractive and vibrant knowledge city at Ulven in Oslo, bringing together 4,500 jobs in the construction and real estate industry.
- This is not just a construction project - it is an attempt to create a business cluster that can drive the innovative and sustainable solutions of the future in the construction and real estate industry, says Siv Fredriksen Kaarstad, Production Manager at AF Gruppen.
With a building of around 103,000 square meters, the equivalent of 12 football pitches, and ambitious targets to achieve BREEAM Excellent and energy class A, sustainability is a key focus throughout the process. Construction City will have 40 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions from materials compared to a reference building, and half of the materials will be recycled or reused materials.
OBOS is behind this historic venture. AF Gruppen and Betonmast are the main contractors and, together with OBOS, will move their head offices to Construction City when the building is completed in 2025.
New life for old dust
The terrazzo floors that will cover more than 7,000 square meters of flooring as well as stairs in the huge building represent something completely new in the construction industry. The grinding dust, which was previously thrown away, is given new life.
- We usually cast terrazzo floors with a mixture of rough-cast epoxy and granite, which we then grind down to get the beautiful surface terrazzo is known for. But the grinding generates a lot of dust waste - normally over six kilos per square meter, explains Rune.
In the past, this grinding dust would have been thrown away, but instead of seeing it as waste, Malco has found a way to reuse the dust in production.
- We're reusing 10,000 kilos of grinding dust in production, which has never been done before, says Rune, as he feels the newly laid floors.
To further strengthen the sustainability of the project, Malco also uses products from Dr. Schutz, which gives the terrazzo floors extra durability and extends their service life.
- It's truly unique to be able to recycle so much of the waste without compromising on quality, aesthetics or service life. With the addition of Dr. Schutz's treatments, we are in a class of our own, far ahead of the competition, says Rune.
- This is sustainability in practice. It means that terrazzo floors have a long lifespan with virtually no maintenance, reducing both costs and environmental impact over time.
Innovation through collaboration
AF Gruppen has been careful to choose suppliers that can meet the strict environmental requirements, and it was no coincidence that Malco was chosen for the prestigious project at Ulven. Although the company wasn't the cheapest option, its specialist expertise, extensive experience and in-house terrazzo workshop proved decisive.
- In the purchasing phase, we try to gain an understanding of how our suppliers' processes work and what waste is produced. We challenge everyone and ask if they have ideas for reducing waste. At AF Gruppen, we know that a lot can be recycled or reused, but it's the suppliers who know their products best, explains Siv.
- We hope we can inspire them to think differently about reuse and recycling. If all subjects can contribute a little to reducing waste, it adds up to a lot.
A joint push for sustainability
To meet the strict environmental requirements, Malco has had to innovate.
- We've never had a customer willing to pay extra for reuse and sustainability before, but both AF Gruppen and OBOS have challenged us to find new and innovative solutions. As one of the few companies in Norway with its own terrazzo workshop, we have a unique opportunity to lead the way in this development, says Rune.
The collaboration has been fruitful, and although Malco has made great progress in the development of terrazzo flooring, the project has also been a valuable learning process.
- We learn a lot along the way. If this had been a non-BREEAM project, we could probably have reused all the waste and accepted some color deviations, says Rune.
Siv also praises the collaboration with Malco.
- The collaboration with Malco has been excellent so far. It will be a great result and they have managed to reduce the waste from grinding by many tons, she says.
Cultural shift in the construction industry
Construction City is not only a prestigious sustainability project, but also represents a cultural shift in the construction industry.
- They've introduced a code of conduct that expects all players to behave with respect and follow strict ethical guidelines - there must be extreme tidiness and control on the construction site. This is a new philosophy that we are very happy to be a part of, says Rune.
With the preliminary experience from the Construction City project, Malco is looking forward to sharing its learnings with the rest of the industry.
- We are proud to be part of a project that sets a new standard for sustainability. This has given us a unique opportunity to show what is possible when innovation and collaboration are in focus. The experience we've gained here will not only shape our own future projects, but also help raise the level of sustainability throughout the construction industry, concludes Rune.
Rune Andersen, project manager and responsible for terrazzo at Malco
