Two projects utilising O.C.O Technology’s ground-breaking carbon negative artificial aggregate – known as Manufactured LimeStone (M-LS) – have been featured on the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC) newly-launched online Solutions Library.
The website is designed to address shared sustainability challenges within the property and construction sector and boost collaboration between innovators and corporate organisations.
The website features O.C.O’s:
- Manufactured Limestone (M-LS) Block mix product, which is already being used by two of the UK’s largest block manufacturers, as well as some independent block makers. So far, a total of 21 million blocks have been produced in the UK using the product – the equivalent to 8,000 three-bedroom houses. Using the M-LS block mix in Type 1 protects reserves of virgin aggregates and improves sustainability credentials.
- Foamed Asphalt incorporating the Manufactured Limestone (M-LS), which has been used in the pavement design and construction of a cycle path in the West Midlands. The foamed asphalt replaced the AC32 Base layer of the construction and in the manufacture and delivery of the base, over 90% of the total product was recycled utilising up to 20% of M-LS in the recipe, resulting in a significant carbon reduction.
Both case studies appear in the ‘technology or product’ section of the Solutions Library, and under ‘climate change’ and ‘resource use’ in the Impact Area. The O.C.O studies are good examples of practical and commercially viable solutions with track records of deployment in the real world.
David Olley, O.C.O Technology’s Aggregates Sales and Development Manager, said: “We are delighted that the innovative approach and sustainability of our products has been recognised by the UKGBC and listed in its Solutions Library.
“Momentum is growing within the building and construction sector to seek out products which can make a positive difference in the fight against climate change, and this provides the perfect shop window for companies like us to demonstrate exactly what a difference we can make.
“Our carbon negative aggregate has huge potential, both within in the block mix sector and other uses, such as component parts of foamed asphalt, and we are constantly evolving and finding exciting new uses which deliver real carbon reduction.”
Alastair Mant, Director of Business Transformation at UKGBC, said: “The launch of the new Solution webpages is an exciting next step in enabling our members to meet their ambitious commitments on issues such as net-zero carbon, biodiversity, and social value.”
As specialists in carbon capture, O.C.O has led the way in commercialising its Accelerated Carbonation Technology (ACT) process. It treats Air Pollution Control residues (APCr) from the Energy from Waste (EfW) sector with waste carbon dioxide gas to enable the permanent capture of significant amounts of CO2, resulting in the production of artificial limestone.
It became the first company to manufacture a truly carbon negative artificial aggregate on a commercial scale, and its success has been such that in 2011, the UK’s Environment Agency granted the product End of Waste (EoW) approval. It was the first time any company in Europe had achieved such an accolade for an APCr waste stream and secured the aggregate’s position as a perfect example of the circular economy in action.