Caring for our planet through concrete actions.
The rapid increase of carbon emissions to sustain economic growth and development worldwide is leading humanity to a turn-point in its history. Climate change is directly impacting the lives of millions of people around the world and disrupting natural environments.
Sustainability has always been at the heart of Reinforced Earth/Terre Armee. Since its inception in the 1960’s, Reinforced Earth’s philosophy to change the way in which traditional methods of construction were done pioneered a whole new approach to designing civil engineered structures.
With nearly 70 million square meters installed worldwide, RECo UK, part of the Terre Armee Group is without doubt the global leader in the field of soil reinforced structural solutions. Whilst the environmental benefits have always been clear to RECo, we are continually publishing transparency on our environmental performance through validated EPD’s and our commitments to Scopes 1, 2 & 3.
Our three priorities
Taking action for climate
Taking action for climate
Terre Armée is acting to limit the future consequences of climate change. Through ambitious targets, we are aiming to dramatically reduce our gross emissions and to work towards it throughout the whole value chain.
Optimizing resources through circular economy
Optimizing resources through circular economy
The use of natural resources to sustain economic development, including through construction has caused some of them to become scarce. Terre Armée works towards limiting the use of such resources. One of the key elements is the introduction of recycled materials through circular economy processes. This goes from challenging how we design and produce, to the reducing the use of extracted virgin raw materials.
Preserving natural environments
Preserving natural environments
Protecting natural environements is now becoming a central element of our engineered solutions and design philosophy. The projects that we develop may have a direct impact on natural environments, when this dimension is not assessed properly and intergrated into the reflexion. Protecting these environments plays a major role in our offer. Throughout the project life cycle, Terre Armée and subsidiaries will strive to have as little impact as possible on natural environments, and to develop solutions to preserve natural resources and restore ecological balance.
Our commitments
> Low carbon concrete
Our innovation team has worked towards integrating low carbon concrete to manufacture our precast elements, therefore allowing for a direct reduction of carbon emissions and significant reduction of the carbon footprint of our solutions.
> Recycled materials
Reinforced Earth offers a wide range of steel and geosynthetic reinforcements accomodating for various types of backfills. More generally, our years of engineering experience have allowed us to develop a deep understanding of our structures’ long term behavior and accomodating for many design options.
> Caring for the fauna, the flora and natural resources
For many years, our solutions have been used as part of applications aiming to protect animals, preserve and foster natural environments, and help protect and manage natural resources like water. Our wildlife crossings, green solutions, and water management solutions are perfect examples.
> Infrastructure durability and sustainability
Our engineers pay special attention to durability, making our structures last for decades and allowing for long-term carbon footprint compensation. The inherent characteristics of our solutions make them resilient and resist to the effect of time.
Certified EPD’s
Some initiatives and projects
You will find below some great examples showing how our teams around the world are actively working towards our environmental targets.
> Supplying drinking water to households with the world’s tallest Reinforced Earth® structure in India.
Terre Armée India developed a solution for the rehabilitation and stabilization of a slope located in the town of Tindharia, West Bengal, India. Watch the video and discover how, in addition to protecting the population from natural risks and providing them with safer infrastructure, Terre Armée managed to supply 30 households with drinkable water from the newly built structure. A great example of positive social impact on local communities.
> Protecting wildlife with safe crossing structures
The Reinforced Earth Company (USA) has contributed to the design and supply of materials for the construction of wildlife crossing structures. Below are two videos showing how the Reinforced Earth Company puts its world class engineering expertise to the service of wildlife preservation and protection.
Wildlife Crossing in Wyoming – 47 Pronghorn Cross
Connecting Wildlife Habitat Under and Over I-90
> Reinforced Earth UK uses low carbon concrete and recycled backfill as part of the Osborne – Essex Road project
As part of the Osborne – Essex Road development, Reinforced Earth UK proposed to integrate low carbon concrete and recycled backfills into the design to reduce the environmental impact of the project. Reinforced Earth® structures are made of concrete facing panels at the back of which reinforcement strips are connected and associated with backfill.
In this case, Reinforced Earth UK proposed to use low carbon concrete for the production of panels and to re-use backfill available on site. This was made possible thanks to the use of our EcoStrap® PVA geosynthetic reinforcement that allows to accomodate for backfills presenting a high pH.
Watch the video below to know more about the project:
> The Environment Awards
To stimulate and promote environmental initiatives, The Environment Awards were launched in 2021 allowing for employees and teams around the world to propose ideas. This initiative aims to empower people, make great ideas visible and nurture a momentum aiming to have a positive impact for our planet and the future generations.
Our offer for environmental protection.
Terre Armée and its subsidiaries offer many engineered solutions that help protect the environment while reducing the carbon footprint of projects.
Through our engineering expertise and global experience, we help protect populations and wildlife, natural environments and resources, and infrastructure from natural disasters and industrial risks.
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