The new Porta Samedan shopping mall is being built by Migros Ostschweiz and Pfister Immobilien AG. The project is making good progress, and the concrete floors are now being poured.
According to a press release, the project partners are turning to the circular economy to help with construction of the shopping mall. Recycled products are being used for both the concrete and the cement.
One of the main ingredients of concrete is cement. In this project, it is being transported by rail from the Holcim plant in Untervaz in the canton of Graubünden to the Upper Engadine Valley, where the Engadine-based construction company Montebello produces the recycled concrete on site.
The concrete is made with the Holcim product Susteno, which is the only resource-efficient cement in Europe made from high-quality, processed mixed granulate from demolition projects that cannot be used in concrete production, according to the press release. Susteno closes the material cycle, as the materials used to create the granulate would otherwise have to be landfilled.
The other main ingredient in concrete is aggregates. “We are relying here on recycling. Instead of natural gravel, we are using demolition material from the region,” said Flurin Wieser from Montebello.
“The Porta Samedan project shows that the building materials industry is playing a more and more important role in the transition to a circular economy and making a significant contribution to a sustainably built future by embracing innovative products and solutions,” said Phillipe Rey, Head of Cement Sales at Holcim Switzerland.
Porta Samedan is scheduled for completion in 2021.
