| 51 T T Kelly Deeks Environmental responsibility drives innovation With lightweight, stackable units and no messy polystyrene beads blowing around building sites, the product is also winning support from builders MPT Concrete / Ecodome CONCRETE INDUSTRY New Zealand’s concrete sector continues its shift toward low-carbon construction, with manufacturers and suppliers accelerating efforts to cut emissions and reduce waste across the entire building process. The path forward is being shaped by new technologies that rethink traditional methods, including the company’s sustainable flooring system, Ecodome. Ecodome sales manager, Malcolm Cottle, says the change sweeping through the industry is driven by both environmental responsibility and market demand. “Concrete has a reputation for being a horrible product, so every concrete company is now competing to improve sustainability,” Malcolm says. “Clients are asking what builders and suppliers are doing to make their projects greener, and that pressure is finally shifting behavior.” Malcolm describes the system as a sacrificial formwork sitting beneath the concrete slab. The interlocking domes support the concrete as it cures, then remain in place for the life of the building. At end-of-life, the plastic can be separated from the broken-up concrete and recycled. “It’s not going to landfill,” he says. “We’re taking rubbish and turning it into something we can use, and we can re-use it at the end of the life of the building. That’s a massive step forward.” With lightweight, stackable units and no messy polystyrene beads blowing around building sites, the product is also winning support from builders frustrated by the environmental and practical drawbacks of traditional pod systems. Malcolm says attitudes toward polystyrene are changing rapidly. “People have had enough of it. Anyone who’s opened a TV box in their lounge knows what that stuff is like. On building sites, it ends up everywhere, and eventually in our rivers and streams. Polystyrene doesn’t have a place in New Zealand anymore.” As concrete suppliers release new low-carbon mixes, including products like Bridgeman Concrete’s EcoMax, more and more concrete companies see Ecodome as a complementary step in the wider decarbonisation process. “When you combine a 100% recycled plastic system with low-carbon concrete on top, you’re putting sustainability into every stage of the process,” Malcolm says. “Builders can use any concrete they prefer — we’re not tied to any one supplier — and that flexibility is helping adoption across the country.” Ecodome’s Italian engineering also offers practical benefits for contractors. The dome shape increases structural strength, reduces the need for additional concrete or steel, and minimises soil contact, improving moisture control. Malcolm spends much of his time travelling nationwide, training builders, visiting sites, and demonstrating the system. “Nothing beats a bit of on-site banter. Once people see how easy it is, they get it straight away.” He believes the biggest validation is seeing other suppliers move in the same direction. “If other companies are copying what we’re doing, then we must be doing something right. Even if it costs a few dollars more per square metre, what’s the environmental cost of not doing better?” THE FUTURE IS HERE ntroducing New Zealand's rst Earth Friendly Cement Made locally with Eco-Cem®, it delivers the performance you expect from concrete, with a significantly lower carbon footprint. A smarter choice for projects that care about strength, durability, and the future. New Zealand’s first carbon-conscious concrete is finally here. Learn more at hrcl.co.nz
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