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RELATED ARTICLES: Villa builders urged to turn backs on concrete; Light + strong concrete = tall, green buildings; Safety cartoon: concrete placing pumps
Al Falah Ready Mix general manager Abdul Traboulsi discusses his company’s shift towards sustainable building and green manufacturing.
What is it about your ready mix concrete that makes it sustainable?
Al Falah Ready Mix adopts the definition of sustainability, which identifies sustainable concrete as a concrete product that is produced to meet the needs of the present concrete demands, without compromising the needs of future generations.
The company is currently producing sustainable concrete by replacing high levels of cement with recycled materials. We use low-energy and low-emission plant and equipment and abide by environmentally-friendly operational standards and delivery methods. In addition, we work within a culture of continuous improvement to achieve and attain sustainable goals.
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When did Al Falah decide to follow path towards green building?
As of January 2009, Al Falah Ready Mix conducts operations with a minimal impact on social, economic, and environmental resources, while demonstrating at all times an understanding of latest environmental challenges and risks, ensuring an exemplary ecological footprint that is, at the same time, economically viable.
Al Falah Ready Mix was encouraged to follow this path by the Masdar initiative, which is inspired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s vision for sustainable development, as the answer to the environmental challenges that are growing across the globe .
How do you minimise the carbon emissions produced by your vehicles and batching plants?
Our plants have recently been designed to minimise carbon emissions by utilising low-energy technologies. These plants are installed 2km to 5km away from all of our sites to decrease travelling distances, thereby reducing carbon emission from our delivery vehicles.
In addition, our plants keep dust and noise pollution to a minimum. It’s also worth noting that Al Falah Ready Mix is the first ready mix concrete producer in the region to utilise the low-emission Euro V engines on a concrete delivery vehicle.
Are you expecting to see an increase in concrete prices this year?
We foresee an increase in the demand for concrete starting the second quarter of 2010, which will lead to increased prices and subsequently the improvement of our business.
Which projects have you got lined up for 2010?
We will be supplying our products to the carbon neutral Masdar City, Abu Dhabi International Airport and Yas Island Development. In addition Sorouh Real Estate has awarded Al Falah the contract to provide concrete to its Watani villas and Golf Gardens developments. We will also be working on the Bloom Gardens project, Baniyas Development, Al Falah Community, Saadiyat Island and the Dubai Pearl projects.
Will you be introducing any new products this year?
Yes. Al Falah is committed to continual development of its services and range of products. In this respect, our research and development department is quite active in developing new products, which will soon be introduced to the market. We will announce details about these products in the near future.
Do you offer chemicals and admixtures, which make the concrete waterproof/ flow better into columns?
In order to produce high performance concrete, we make use of the latest findings in the construction chemicals industry and we utilise the latest generation of chemical admixtures that enable us to optimise concrete mixes for enhanced durability with lowest achievable carbon footprint.
About Abdul Traboulsi
Having worked as a technical manager and general manager for ready mix concrete and precast concrete industries in the Gulf region for over 18 years, Traboulsi has actively participated in several research and development programmes relating to high strength and high performance concrete.
His research interests are sustainable development, in addition to quality control and quality assurance systems relating to the concrete industry. He is a member of the American Concrete Institute and the American Society of Civil Engineers and received his Bachelor of Engineering degree from the American University of Beirut in 1992.
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FEATURED COMMENT
Replacing high level of cement with recycled material may affect strength and what steps you take for that? I am not cle