Reduce, Reuse
Concrete is the building material of the modern age: With its mixture of water, aggregates and binding cement, which can be cast into any shape and guarantees a high load-bearing capacity, it became the darling of the construction industry in the 20th century. However, concrete is considered a difficult building material, as the burning of the required cement lime in particular is one of the main drivers of greenhouse gas emissions in the construction industry. But how can it improve? To this end, facade manufacturer Rieder has developed a fiberglass concrete, which will subsequently become cement-free. We have identified the levers where we can intervene to produce and operate by 2025. Now we are implementing our plan, evaluating the results and developing them further," says Wolfgang Rieder, CEO of Rieder.
The idea behind the new fiberglass concrete is thousands of years old: the opus caementicium used in the Pantheon in Rome, a "cast masonry" to which the Roman builders added natural pozzolans – volcanic ash, trass and similar minerals. Thus, the cement of the façade panels at Rieder is also replaced by natural pozzolans. To this end, 50 percent cement was initially replaced. The products "concrete skin," "öko skin" and "formparts" are now available in selected colors. By 2027, the entire product range is scheduled to be converted to a cement-free material.
The new facade panels in the color "pine green" and the texture "slate" were also used at the new Rieder headquarters glemm21 in Maishofen, Austria. There, they envelop the building over an area of 400 square meters and characterize its appearance with their slate look. For this purpose, the company converted a disused bus garage. "Not building anything new, but using what is already there, is known to be the best way to save grey energy and not to seal any more areas. So we tried this out on ourselves," says Wolfgang Rieder.
The existing building was repurposed. One example is the concrete supports from the old factories of Wolfgang Rieder's grandfather and father, a concrete beam from old production or 150 tons of steel beams. Even an old wall paneling made of Swiss stone pine, which was dismantled in another building, is now part of the interior design. The transformation process was accompanied by an engineering firm specializing in construction. Rieder was able to realize a new office building. The new Rieder headquarters glemm21 is thus entirely in line with the company's philosophy, as Wolfgang Rieder affirms: "We don't just want to talk, doing is important for change to succeed."
