Key materials contract boosts sustainability for Olympic Park

Aggregate Industries will become the sole provider of all the aggregate materials including sand, gravel, crushed stone and the recycled concrete needed for the construction of the venues and infrastructure for the Olympic Park.

ODA’s Head of Sustainability Dan Epstein said: 'The construction of the new permanent venues and infrastructure and the creation of the largest new urban park in Europe for 150 years will require large amounts of aggregate materials. This is an essential contract for the 2012 project and it is important that it has sustainability at the heart of its plans.

'Aggregate Industries exceeded the ODA targets and are able to commit to providing over 70 per cent of the materials needed as recycled aggregates and to transport 99 per cent of materials by water or rail. This is unprecedented for a project of the size, scale and complexity.'

The ODA required competing companies to emphasise their ‘green’ credentials and their plans for meeting the ODA’s sustainability targets. Specifically, tenderers were asked to ensure that they either meet or exceed the following targets:

• At least 25 per cent of aggregate content to be recycled material
• At least 50 per cent of materials, by weight, to be transported to the Olympic Park by sustainable methods

Aggregate Industries were able to commit to transporting 99 per cent of aggregate materials via sustainable transport methods, surpassing the ODA’s target of 50 per cent. Approximately 74 per cent of the aggregate materials will be transported by rail and 25 per cent by water, with only 1 per cent transported by road for specialist materials which do not have established rail and water links.

Aggregate Industries predicts that they will use four 120 tonne barges and five 350 tonne barges to provide a typical daily delivery by water of between 500-1000 tonnes.

Aggregate Industries are also confident that they can provide 70 per cent of the materials needed as recycled aggregates, exceeding the ODA’s aim for 25 per cent.

Notes to Editors

1. The Invitation to Tender (ITT) was issued in January 2008 and the contract awarded in May 2008.

2. The following companies were shortlisted and invited to tender:

• Aggregate Industries UK Ltd
• CEMEX UK Operations
• Hanson Aggregates
• Lafarge Aggregates Ltd
• Robert Brett & Sons Ltd;
• Tarmac Ltd.
  

3. Current indicative volumes pre-design are approximately 600,000m3 with a peak demand at current programme of approximately 1000m3 per day.

4. The anticipated period of operation is May 2008 to June 2011.

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For further information please contact the Olympic Delivery Authority Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 700

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