Coloured concrete that’s truly transparent

In this day and age of consumer awareness, it’s more important than ever to know what you’re buying, what it contains and where it ends up after you’ve used it. When it comes to building materials, it’s no different. And thanks to Declare—a labelling tool that evaluates the chemical makeup and toxicity of building materials—consumers, specifiers and the environment have benefited from the transparent exchange of product content information.

Like the list of ingredients on food packaging, a Declare label offers product transparency by disclosing where a product comes from, what it’s made of and where it goes at the end of its life.

“Having Declare labels tells architects, designers and consumers that your products are completely safe for the environment—during the construction process and for the entire life of the building,” says PeterFell general manager Michael Ross.

Over the past few years, there has been a substantially higher demand from designers and consumers who wish to build homes, schools and workplaces with construction materials that are non-toxic.

New Zealand’s concrete industry is supporting the trend towards environmental sustainability, with Concrete NZ developing a manifesto stating that by 2030 the concrete industry will be recognised as a sustainable and socially responsible participant in the construction sector. It has also committed to reducing its global warming potential by 30% of 2005 levels.

Declare labels allow PeterFell to play its part in Concrete NZ’s goal, and to be part of promoting sustainable building practices in New Zealand.

Michael says the transparency of Declare labelling is key to consumers knowing which products contribute to a healthy built environment.

“The main benefits for our customers is that they will know that our products are completely safe for them to work with and will not harm the environment. Our colours will help them build a healthier and more sustainable building.”

The Declare labels are easily accessible, making it much easier for designers and consumers to create healthy buildings, as well as saving them many hours of time researching suitable environmentally friendly products.

Declare labels offer designers and consumers complete peace of mind and ease of specification.

“For nearly three decades this has also been the main objective of PeterFell. We see it as a continuation of our commitment to being a solution focused supplier and to assist designers and consumers with achieving the best possible outcome—both aesthetically and environmentally.”

As Declare gains in notoriety it’s likely there will be a dramatic increase in uptake of architects and specifiers comparing products based on their Declare status, says Michael, and consequently a much more sustainable approach to building in New Zealand.