Port of Aalborg is constructing a 15,000 m² IBF Eco2® pavement

Port of Aalborg, Denmark's fourth largest industrial harbor and one of the country's biggest business parks, is a public limited company owned by Aalborg Municipality.

In the spring of 2023, as the industrial harbor was expanding to include a larger parking area for 110 trailers and semi-trailers, sustainability was a key consideration in the project, as it is in all other aspects of the company's operations. The client therefore set an ambitious goal that the total CO2 emissions from the harbor's expansion on 15,000 m² should not exceed half of the CO2 emissions from a traditional construction project.

The choice of paving stones was a significant part of the project since traditional paving stones typically contain a large amount of cement, a CO2-heavy binder in concrete. Therefore, it was logical to seek an alternative to traditional paving stones that could still withstand heavy truck traffic and significant torque. Port of Aalborg chose IBF's Eco2® pavement with at least a 50% CO2 reduction.

Brian Dalby Rasmussen, project manager at Port of Aalborg, discusses the choice of pavement:

"IBF was far ahead and nearly in a category of its own with a CO2 reduction of more than 50%. They have the expertise, documentation, and are serious about the climate agenda.''

How can paving stones be manufactured with a CO2 reduction of at least 50% compared to 2021 emissions?

The product Geoprime®, developed in collaboration with Finnish partner Betolar, replaces cement as the binder in concrete. Only the top 6 mm of the paving stone uses cement to ensure the stone's durability against frost and thaw impacts. Geoprime® is based on blast furnace slag and is a by-product of steel production. Thus, the paving stones also contribute to a larger, global trend towards a circular economy.

IBF launched the Eco2® brand in 2022, a collective term for concrete goods with a reduced CO2 footprint of at least 50% compared to actual production in 2021. The first Eco2® project was Aarhus Water's climate adaptation project in Viby, where IBF supplied Eco2® concrete pipes, which were manufactured entirely without cement.

Collaboration among all parties in the project

The project concluded with a documented saving of up to 1,000 tons of CO2, which was significantly higher than Port of Aalborg's initial target. The total CO2 footprint of the project ended up between 600-700 tons.

The construction work was carried out by Arkil, while WSP Denmark served as the consultant for the project. The three parties: WSP Denmark, Arkil, and Port of Aalborg, entered into a partnering project, a collaboration where the competencies of all parties were utilized, and the common goal was to achieve the greatest possible CO2 reduction within the budget constraints.