Precast elements in architectural concrete for high- and medium-rise low-emission buildings

Loveld nv of Aalter has been active since 1985 as a manufacturer of prefabricated (sandwich) concrete elements, with or without the inclusion of natural stone granulates. The company originated from a management buy out by some executives of the bankrupt Seghers Beton. Loveld supplies precast elements around the world, with the Netherlands and the United Kingdom accounting for about 90% of annual sales. Its futureproofing of large residential, office and utility complexes relies on a thorough sustainability approach.

Highly flexible business structure

The Loveld workforce fluctuates between 65 and 120 employees, depending on the size and complexity of the current orders. Besides the permanent administrative core, the manufacturer also has its own extensive engineering office and a well-equipped joinery. The latter is responsible for producing the often complex wooden formwork. All elements are stripped of the formwork the day after they are cast, which allows the company to respond flexibly to fluctuations in production volumes.

Triple layer sandwich elements:, the future of precast concrete construction

Vincent Termote, project sales & development manager at Loveld: "We are one of the few companies in Europe that offer highly advanced turnkey triple-layer sandwich elements, complete with inner shell, insulation and outer shell. We take this one step further: windows and all kinds of techniques can also be provided to create a wind and watertight whole. This of course speeds up the construction process at the building site and ensures less disruption during the construction of large projects in busy inner-city areas. We realize the inner shell in gray concrete; the outer shell in architectural concrete is possible in all colors and finishes. Columns and landings can also be integrated into it. Contractors and their subcontractors can use our factories to assemble and install their ready-to-use elements in a dry and controlled environment, unhindered by adverse weather conditions. Here, the customer decides how far to go in the prefabrication process."

Major sustainability efforts

Termote: "Our company, and by extension the entire concrete sector, is working intensively to achieve the imposed lower emission standards. For example, we have joined forces with a spin-off from KULeuven in the search for less polluting cement substitutes. After all, cement production accounts for 8% of all CO2 emissions worldwide, which cannot be called a small share. We made, and are still making, our production processes significantly greener. I am thinking here of our PV installation, which was put into operation in 2010, but also of water purification, recovery of rainwater, more conscious use of natural gas, the switch to LED lighting and the electrification of the vehicle fleet. Soon we will also start the construction of a new office building that will be a leader in greening and sustainability." All these and other efforts have led to achieving Level 3 CO2 Performance Ladder certification in 2023. "Within this framework, we have committed to reduce harmful emissions by an additional 35% by 2026, and by 2030 we must operate completely carbon neutral. Evaluations to monitor progress in this regard take place every 6 months."

Talking references

Loveld already has the production and supply of precast concrete elements for numerous impressive references on its record: the Wood Wharf buildings A2 and A3 at Canary Wharf London (blasted concrete), the Vista complex in Battersea Park London (polished concrete), the New Tate Modern in London (smooth concrete), the Zuiderzicht tower on Nieuw Zuid in Antwerp (blasted concrete), the Blue Tower in Brussels (polished concrete), the new DPG Media headquarters in Antwerp (polished concrete) and the First office building in Rotterdam (polished concrete) to name but a few.