The City of Swan is using recycled building materials from Boral to sustainably construct and repair footpaths across the municipality.
Located in Perth, Western Australia, the City of Swan is the first local government to use Boral Envirocrete, which combines substituted concrete aggregates with recycled and waste raw materials.
The Envirocrete mix used by the council includes a 40 per cent reduction in cement by using cementitious materials, recycled water and manufactured sand as substitutes.
Boral designed Envirocrete to reduce waste materials when manufacturing concrete to make the material environmentally friendly, while allowing customers to achieve Green Star ratings.
“Envirocrete demonstrates Boral’s commitment to tangibly contribute to an increasingly environmentally sustainable Australian construction sector at the same time as meeting the high expectations of our customers and the community,” Boral western region general manager John Ralph said.
“We aim to make a real difference by promoting sustainable practices and seek to be part of the practical solution to reducing landfill.”
City of Swan Mayor Kevin Bailey said using Boral’s Envirocrete will prevent building materials from ending up in landfill while also shrinking greenhouse gas emissions.
“We are committed to innovation and sustainability, particularly when it has a positive impact on the environment while ensuring a good asset life and condition,” he said.
The City is working with local contractor Eastside Concrete, which has partnered with Boral to conduct the footpath works in Perth suburbs including The Vines and Ellenbrook.
Footpath works in Ellenbrook are part of the City’s $8.85 million COVID-19 stimulus package to boost local investment and the economy while providing local employment. The City recently contracted Eastside to build a one-kilometre-long footpath in The Vines using Envirocrete prior to the stimulus.
Sustainable asphalt is also being trialled by The City of Swan in the suburbs of Whiteman Edge, Jane Brook and Belhus, which use a combination of plastic bags, containers, glass bottles, printer toners and tyres for use on roads.