New Office Building (LEED GOLD)

About this good practice

By project CircE

Published on 15 February 2019

Italy

The client's goal was to certify the 'New Office Building' project according to the LEED protocol, with GOLD certification level.
To do this, it has taken advantage of several solutions including the supply of concrete containing recycled material (artificial aggregate and from recovery).
Concrete was then supplied with the highest possible percentage of post-consumer and post-industrial recycled content compatible with the technical construction characteristics.
The company Vezzola has implemented mix designs containing light ash (fly ash) from coal-fired power plants, steel mills from the treatment of black steel scrap and aggregate recycled from the treatment of selective discarding of only concrete.

Resources needed

Concrete containing recycled material and technicians able to study new mix with recycled materials. More than that you should have your own laboratory to do all the tests in terms of durability and structural properties.

Evidence of success

Concrete was then supplied with the highest possible percentage of post-consumer and post-industrial recycled content compatible with the technical construction characteristics.
In the first mix the company Vezzola used 36% of recycled materials and in the second the percentage was 18%.

Potential for learning or transfer

In that work the company Vezzola learnt to increase its concrete's production also with the introducing of a high percentage of recycled materials.
The company bought a new system to remove steel bars and smash the materials whose use has allowed an increase of recycled materials.
The system is made by a sandvik powertrack, a machine which can also works with demolitions and asphalt.

Public authorities should start to introduce in Italy more possibilities to use recycled products because they can reduce the construction cost and they can improve the recycling process.