Sustainably recycled & upcycled materials
Sustainability is the very core of our entire product line.
In a world where waste and pollution are growing concerns, Belter Tech creates products that meet modern needs while utilizing up to 100% post-consumer waste.
In addition to being environmentally friendly, these products can serve a variety of purposes, including acting as thermal barriers, acoustic dampeners, heat conductors, and fire suppressors—all with the added benefit of being extremely lightweight. Due to the quality of these materials, the structures in which they are utilized consume energy efficiently and reduce household CO2 emissions. The fact that the materials are lightweight means transportation is more efficient and therefore supply chain emissions are decreased.
The recycled materials incorporated in Belter Tech products range from between 44%-100% post-consumer waste. These materials act as thermal barriers, provide acoustic dampening, heat conductivity, fire suppression and, of course, make our products extremely lightweight. These benefits have additional effects of their own. A good building envelope decreases energy consumption for climate control, lighter weight decreases emissions in the supply chain.
Reduction in waste is beneficial to the planet.
Sustainable products are no longer a niche but a necessity.
Belter Tech is proud to partner with companies and manufacturers around the country to divert their waste from landfills and put it back on the market in the form of new, sustainable products. For example, PIR foam and glass are permanently diverted from landfills with every project and ensure the particles stay out of the ocean or the earth.
Reduction of waste creates a reduction in emissions, energy usage
Re-use of waste creates new products with 100% recycled materials.
Recycling of waste creates new products diverting up to 73% of those materials from landfills.
Innovation…
Belter Tech recognizes that an important aspect of sustainable development is innovation, and is therefore continuously researching and developing new ways to make better products that meet the world’s sustainability needs.
VIEW/DOWNLOAD OUR SUSTAINABILITY BROCHURE – HERE
A. Diverted waste
Belter Tech has currently diverted 517,892 lbs. of waste from entering landfills via the development of 21 different products, and various projects to divert even more. Three of the major waste materials we work with are glass, plastics, and rubber from tires. Each of these products not only take up a large percentage of space in landfills, but also take extended periods of time to break down, meaning they are a long-term problem.
B. The rise of globalization
- As an increasing number of people around the world migrate to cities for better opportunities and easier access to resources, the demand for concrete and other construction materials increases as well. Concrete is already heavily embedded in our infrastructure due to its properties, and is the 2nd most utilized product in the world after water. Currently, concrete is a multibillion-dollar industry, with millions of metric tons of products consumed annually. Unfortunately, despite its im-portance, the concrete industry is one of the world’s largest emitters of CO2. Because of this, it is increasingly necessary to improve its carbon footprint and offset its negative impacts on the globe. One proven way this can be done by replacing a portion of typical concrete ingredients (fly ash, slag, etc.) known as “clinker,” with a blend of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). These SCMs can include waste products such as glass.
C. Renewable resources
a) Biochar – What is it? Biochar is a type of charcoal created when organic materials are burned in the absence of oxygen.
Sustainability – The organic materials (biomass) used in biochar capture CO2-Carbon stays in the biochar and out of the atmosphere-Biochar can lead to improved soil quality-Biochar can be utilized for clean energy production.
Utilization in construction – Biochar can be utilized as cement and/or additive substitution in concrete.
- Properties in concrete – There are many different types of biochar depending on the organic mate-rial that undergoes pyrolysis (burning in absence of oxygen), all with various properties. Different types of material that have been utilized include algae, waste wood/saw dust, rice husk, hazelnut shells, and sewage sludge. Potential benefits include: compression strength, flexural strength (MOR), curing time, electromagnetic shielding, fire resistance, improved insulation, humidity control.
b) Cork: What is it/where does it come from? The phellem layer of a cork oak’s bark tissue. It is an impermeable, buoyant material that can be harvested for commercial use. Cork oak trees are primarily grown in southwest Europe and Northwest Africa.
- Sustainability – Cork is 100% renewable. Cork trees can regenerate themselves after each harvest. Cork trees are not harmed during harvest process.
- Utilization in construction – Cork granules can be used as paint/coating additives after they are processed. Cork can also be used in flooring systems, including the top layer, inlay, core layer and pre-attached underlayment.
- Properties in Construction Materials – Thermal insulation, acoustic insulation, elasticity, impact absorption, mold, and mildew inhibition.
D. Circular Economy
The idea of keeping products in use rather than in a landfill is an aspect of the Circular Economy concept, which is an economy de-signed to be sustainable through the elimination/minimization of waste and the need for new, raw materials. In other words, rather than having to keep mining for resources, materials that have already been sourced can simply be refurbished and utilized again. The idea is to increase the life cycle of products, limiting waste while still solving current and future needs. In creating products out of “waste,” Belter Tech is significantly im-proving the life cycle assessments (LCAs) of these materials, meaning they have less of an overall environmental impact.
E. Belter Tech and the SDGs
Due to the current and impending implications of climate change and in-creasing global CO2 emissions, in 2015 the United Nations developed a plan to drastically improve the world’s sustainable development by 2030. Included in these plans are 17 individual sustainable development goals (SDGs) focused on different areas to be improved. Belter Tech’s mission and product development can be directly connected to 3 of these goals: (8) Decent Work and Economic Growth, (9) Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, and (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Belter Tech contributes to improved working conditions and economic growth due to the characteristics of its products. Since Belter Tech concrete is up to 1/3 the weight of traditional concrete, it significantly increases the rate of labor, as well as transportation efficiency.
Belter Tech works to improve industry and infrastructure and create more sustainable communities by creating high quality products that are also more environmentally friendly than alternatives. Belter Tech also works with other companies to help them achieve their sustainability goals and initiatives, including playing a role in a project called planet passion, which strives to-wards net-zero emissions. Belter Tech acts as an innovator in the construction industry by working to create products to meet multiple needs. For example, Belter Tech designs floor, wall, and ceiling systems, as well as products for fire suppression, insulation, and grout and mortar needs. Belter Tech engineers are also constantly researching and developing new ways to make these products even more sustainable and efficient.
