At FLI Precast Solutions, sustainability is at the core of our operations.
We are dedicated to minimising our environmental impact, enhancing economic efficiency, and promoting social responsibility.
Our Commitment
Environmental Responsibility
We strive to minimise our ecological footprint by reducing waste, optimising resource use, and ensuring that our products contribute to sustainable development. We use durable materials that require less frequent replacement, reducing long-term environmental impact.
Economic Responsibility
By improving efficiency and reducing construction times, we help lower costs for our clients. Our off-site manufacturing process allows for better quality control and less material wastage, leading to significant economic savings.
Social Responsibility
We maintain high standards of health and safety, ensuring safer working conditions through reduced on-site presence and less hazardous environments. This approach benefits our employees and the communities where we operate by reducing construction disruption.
Decarbonisation
Cement Replacement – Current Status
We utilise recycled GBBS in our precast concrete, containing 35-70% ground granulated blast furnace slag, reducing the embedded carbon in the product to below 50%.
Cement Replacement – Continuing the Journey
In collaboration with Ecocem, we are actively researching and testing innovations to decarbonize concrete production. Our partnership involves rigorous evaluations of potential advancements and formulations to explore sustainable alternatives that significantly reduce carbon emissions.
Raw Water Usage Reduction – Current Status
Through rainwater harvesting, we collect a large volume of water at our factory, almost eliminating the need for mains supply water.
Raw Water Usage Reduction – Continuing the Journey
We are constructing a new buried water holding tank to filter and use additional runoff water, removing reliance on the grid. We also aim to recover water used in power washing for treatment and reuse.
Lean Engineering & Steel Reinforcement reduction – Current Status
Introducing steel fibres to reduce the use of conventional reinforcement steel. Through the use of steel fibres as opposed to conventional reinforced steel there is a significant reduction in the overall volume of steel required.
Production of leaner and therefore lighter units, there are benefits throughout the project, narrower units need less raw materials, they require less energy in their production and there is a reduction in transportation emissions.
Lean Engineering – Continuing the Journey
We already utilise the codes of practice, specifications and standards as eƯiciently as possible to produce the best solutions for our clients. Our Engineering department are looking into the next stage of lean design that is possible with new technologies and other advantages our Precast brings.
Use of alternative reinforcement materials are being evaluated on a project-by-project basis with numerous R&D projects ongoing e.g F900 chambers using structural fibre reinforcement with only conventional reinforcement for lifting points.
Renewable Energy – Current Status
At our factory we currently have a 250kW solar array, which has avoided over 38 tons of CO² emissions since its installation in August 2023. Where additional energy is required from the grid our energy supplier uses 100% renewable sources.
LED lighting has been installed throughout our production facility.
Renewable Energy – Continuing the Journey
- With further expansion of our production halls planned, so will our solar panels.
- Additional units to be added which will supply heating, and electricity, 2025 development.
- Looking to reduce energy usage across our production facility and offices.
Renewable Transportation – Current Status
- Improved efficiencies with deliveries
- Electrical plant purchased and in use at our production facility.
- Electric cars for our employees
Renewable Transportation – Continuing the Journey
- Looking to reduce energy usage across our production facility and office.
- EV charging points to be installed at our facility in 2025.
- We are supporting our key transport suppliers with investigations into more sustainable options such as:
- Nolans Transport are looking at hydrogen and electric drivetrain technology.
- DFDS are ordering 125 electric wagons and aspires to have the first electric vessel in 2025, along with many other sustainable projects they are undertaking.
FLI Precast Solutions – Reducing Co2 emissions
FLI Precast – Current Status
- Our factory-controlled environment results in a reduction in Co2e emissions compared to in situ construction owing to the production eƯiciency achieved.
- The table below shows the percentage of CO2e reduction through the use of secondary cementitious material such as the GGBS we use.
- To help us and our clients reach our Environmental and Sustainability targets FLI Precast Solutions has been incorporating GGBS in our concrete mix for a number of years. On one of our recent projects, we estimate over 77 tonnes of carbon was saved by using 50% GGBS, to put this into perspective one tonne of carbon dioxide fills a space roughly the size of a house.
Through working with key partners, we have made huge advances in design and efficiencies within our reservoir system.
One of our newest reservoir projects Preston Service Reservoir 2024, for Affinity Water contains 50% GGBS in all components. Compared to a 2014 project where we had 25% levels of GGBS in the walls, columns, and beams only.
FLI Precast Solutions: Example of work with Yorkshire Water
FLI Precast are supporting our Clients across Water Company Frameworks to ensure off-site Build targets are achieved, saving time on site with all the benefits which that can bring.
Multiple small units across multiple sites programmed and designed with PCC in mind can
provide standardisation in manufacturing, on site installation, plus transportation and savings.