Munich, 14 January 2019. Xella consistently addresses the main trends of the construction industry, the circular economy and digitization. There are functioning circular models for all Xella products (autoclaved aerated concrete, calcium silicate units, glass wool and XPS). In 2018, digital solutions already represented roughly 18% of the Building Materials Business Unit and this percentage will be increased further.

On the occasion of the press conference held by Xella International, the circular economy issue was explored in greater depth in a discussion between renowned experts. Circular economy means that materials and products are reused for as long as possible, i.e. from cradle to cradle, in order to protect natural resources and avoid waste. Recyclable products are increasingly also demanded by our customers as well as by legal regulations.

Participants in the panel discussion organized as part of the BAU 2019 trade fair included Dr. Berthold Schäfer, Director of Technology of Bundesverband Baustoffe - Steine und Erden (Federal Building Materials Association) and Dr. Volker Thome, Head of the Mineral Materials and Recycling Department of the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP. They were joined by Xella experts Dr. Jochen Fabritius (CEO of Xella Group), Torsten Schoch (Managing Director of Xella Technologie- und Forschungsgesellschaft) and Kay Baugut (Head of Marketing and Sales at URSA Deutschland).
Under the motto “Resources of the Future”, the participants addressed the legal preconditions and social demands made on companies and presented products made from reusable resources. “We are already putting the circular economy into practice,” said Dr. Jochen Fabritius, CEO of Xella Group. “We have developed further products which we will present at this year’s BAU trade fair and which will be available in the market as of 2019. Our solutions for avoiding waste and for resource efficiency underline our leading role as a solution provider to the construction sector.”

Ytong Silent+ – autoclaved aerated concrete as a raw material for calcium silicate units
At this year’s BAU, Xella presents a calcium silicate unit which contains recycled autoclaved aerated concrete as a substantial component. Environmentally friendly in every respect, the “Ytong Silent+” consists of three natural components, namely sand, water and lime. High-quality recycled autoclaved aerated concrete substitute as a secondary raw material a significant quantity of the sand. This greatly reduces the use of increasingly scarce and expensive primary raw materials. A compressive strength of 10 N/mm² and a bulk density of 1.6 make the new unit very stable and massive. Effective sound protection ensures peace and quiet for the residents. This non-combustible building material offers reliable fire protection. Xella’s Silent+ is a high-quality building material and the only building stone in the market that meets the often-heard demand for the use of cradle-to-cradle materials in the construction of new buildings.

URSA PUREONE – natural and high-performant
URSA has further developed the proven properties of URSA PUREONE, the premium brand for insulation materials originally launched in 2010. URSA PUREONE is made from natural and reusable resources and a binding agent that is based on renewable raw materials. PUREONE consists of more than 70% recycled glass.

The insulation material made from mineral wool has proven to have a positive influence on indoor air quality and is free from formaldehyde. URSA PUREONE thus meets the requirements of the “Blue Angel” ecolabel as well as the highest voluntary EU standards for indoor air, which is confirmed by the Eurofins INDOOR AIR COMFORT GOLD certificate.

Recycling circle of autoclaved aerated concrete
Together with waste management specialist Otto Dörner, Xella has launched a project to extract the raw materials contained in mixed autoclaved aerated concrete construction waste from demolition work for the production of new autoclaved aerated concrete.

The mixed waste material is first crushed and then sorted and processed in several stages. Various methods are used to separate unwanted materials from the autoclaved aerated concrete. The recycled autoclaved aerated concrete is then returned to the production process.

Ytong BigBags
Ytong BigBags are a simple, resource-efficient and waste-avoiding concept developed by Xella to close the material cycle for Ytong autoclaved aerated concrete. BigBags are used to collect autoclaved aerated concrete directly on the construction site. Here it is picked up and taken to a Xella site where it is ground before being returned to the production process.

By developing alternative raw material sources from the recycling of autoclaved aerated concrete, Xella pursues both ecological and economic objectives. The substitution of recycled products for natural resources not only cuts costs but also protects the environment and helps to save our precious resources in the long term.

Contact

Xella International GmbH
Claudia Kellert
Düsseldorfer Landstraße 395
D-47259 Duisburg
Phone: +49 (0)203 60880-5500
claudia.kellert@xella.com

Xella Deutschland
Olaf Kruse
Düsseldorfer Landstraße 395
D-47259 Duisburg
Phone: +49 (0)203 60880-7560
olaf.kruse@xella.com

URSA Deutschland
Corinna Meisel
Fuggerstraße 1d
D-04158 Leipzig
Phone: +49 (0)341 5211164
corinna.meisel@ursa.com

About Xella
Xella Group is one of the leading, internationally operating solution providers of building materials and insulation materials, with sales of 1.4 billion Euros and more than 7,000 employees.
Xella is the parent company of renowned brands such as Ytong, Silka, Hebel, Multipor, or Ursa and is one of the pioneers in digitally supported building processes. Xella is headquartered in Duisburg (Germany), with 91 plants in 20 countries and sales organizations in more than 30 countries. In many of its market segments, Xella holds a leading position.

Xella’s products are sustainable both in manufacturing and use. Therefore, they make an important contribution to the construction of long-lasting, energy-efficient, and high-quality buildings, and thus to environmental protection and the conservation of resources.