Gulf Construction Online

The Big 5

Green drive

01 October 2010

MAPEI, a global leader in the production of adhesives, sealants and chemical products for buildings, underscored the importance of integrating eco-friendly components into construction materials at a recent presentation in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The company, which will return to The Big 5 show this year, says it spends more than 70 per cent of its annual research and development (R&D) fund or around Dh419.1 million ($114.2 million) for the development and production of environmentally responsible products. It currently offers around 150 products within its range of adhesives, sealants and chemical products that meet the strict requirements of environmental or “green” building certification systems such as Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

“We adhere to strict environmental control systems and practices and conduct research on water-based solutions and other ‘green’ technologies as part of our eco-development philosophy,” says a company spokesman. “We involve our clients in our sustainability efforts as well, through specialised technical seminars and training on the environmental aspects and benefits of our services and products.”

Among Mapei’s eco-friendly offerings is its Granirapid, a rapid-setting, high-performance adhesive system. Manufactured in the UAE with more than 60 per cent of its raw materials sourced locally, Granirapid enables rapid installation of tiles for both new and refurbishment conditions. Users can dispense with the addition of water at site as the mortar is provided as a fully prepared two-component cementitious-based formulation – thus reducing the possibility of workmanship error while saving water resources, the spokesman says.

“The system is rated under the stringent GEV Emicode specification classification of emissions-controlled products as a low volatile organic compounds (VOC), environment-friendly product. Importantly, Granirapid is classified as a C2F adhesive under GSO:ISO 13007, the latest regional standard for tile adhesives and grout,” he points out.

A key feature of Granirapid is its suitability for tile-on-tile applications, which reduces dust emissions and avoids the environmental impacts of breaking, removing and transporting off site the previous tiling. This property also enables substantial energy and resource savings. Granirapid was recently used to install new tiles onto existing ones at the third UAE store launched by Matalan, the UK’s leading value department store.

The material enabled the store to avoid delays in opening its showroom, according to the spokesman.

Another member of Mapei’s green technology line is Keraflex, a high-performance cement-based adhesive that is widely used in the UAE for ceramic tile and stone material applications. Also manufactured in the UAE with more than 90 per cent of its raw materials sourced locally, the product has good adhesion strength, no vertical slip, and fair deformability, he says.

“It bonds perfectly with normal construction materials and can absorb substrate deformation. Also GEV Emicode-certified as a VOC product, Keraflex is distributed using recyclable packaging and can realise a 20 to 25 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions related to storage and transportation because it also has a cementitious composition. The adhesive won the Silver Medal during the Gaia Awards held as part of the 2009 Big 5 show for its role in reducing the construction sector’s environmental impact,” the spokesman says.

From a performance perspective, Keraflex is classified as C2TE according to GSO:ISO 13007.

Commenting on the UAE’s construction industry, he says: “Last year the UAE’s construction sector contributed around eight per cent to the national GDP to sustain its resilience amidst the global economic fallout.

The industry is expected to attain a compound annual growth rate of approximately 20 per cent from 2010 to 2013. One important trend that will have lasting repercussions on the industry as it expands further is the emergence of stricter regulations governing domestic construction activities.

Aside from uplifting the UAE’s long-term environmental agenda, ‘green’ initiatives being implemented by agencies such as the Emirates Green Building Council are also helping realise greater efficiencies in construction projects.”

“Environmental stewardship will figure prominently in the UAE’s development goals over the next two decades. Facility stakeholders will thus have to incorporate eco-friendly elements into their operations, services and amenities. Through the support of companies such as Mapei, the Emirates’ construction industry will continue its environmentally-conscious path to growth,” he adds.