Understanding environmental impact.
When selecting the most environmentally conscious building solution for your project, a myriad of factors warrant consideration. Factors including energy efficiency, material selection, water efficiency, renewable energy, waste reduction and transportation are just a few. An often overlooked sustainable aspect is understanding the longevity of your building solution and how it will stand up over time.
Prefabricated concrete is undeniably one of the longest lasting building materials available, embodying longevity, resilience and disaster resistance. Furthermore, its inherent recyclability presents a forward-thinking option, as building function and form evolve. At Wells, we understand that sustainable practices and innovations are critical, and we continue to look for improvements to our manufacturing and construction practices.
Stewards of Earth's resources.
With a desire to limit our environmental impact, Wells is actively working on energy conservation, carbon reduction, sustainable building design and waste management methods. In addition to these, we support local efforts to support a sustainable future for our planet.
Wells carbon reduction initiatives.
- Our production facilities create sustainable prefabrication by optimizing our mix design, which can include fly ash and other repurposed materials, reducing the amount of embodied carbon by up to 10%, while maintaining desired strength.
- Wells conducts extensive R&D efforts. Whether exploring new building technologies or looking for increased efficiency in existing operations or products, supporting our vision of bringing a new way of thinking and creating to all that we do for our partners and communities.
- Our facilities utilize a variety of carbon capture technologies. This reclaimed gas is mineralized into the concrete mix during production, permanently removing this carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Watch for Wells CEU training opportunities related to sustainable design and manufacturing.
Transparent sustainable building practices.
Wells believes in total transparency in our design and manufacturing process. Utilizing Sustainable Minds' Transparency Catalog, we share our current environmental product declarations (EPDs). Being transparent helps our partners feel confident they're building for a greener and healthier world when they use our building solutions.
A greener future ahead.
Wells is committed to enhancing its sustainability efforts across all locations. By creating EPDs, Wells officially established a performance baseline for each facility in four key areas to reduce environmental impact in the manufacturing process: reuse of materials, lowered water and energy usage, and mix design optimization. These facility-specific baselines enable our company to set targeted reduction goals to not only enhance operational efficiency but also allow for more sustainable practices and reduce our ecological footprint going forward.
Sustainability in our regions.
We want to help our partners achieve their carbon reduction and sustainability goals. To support this initiative, Wells now provides a variety of tools for all your building needs. Use the map below to discover which cities have established sustainability regulations and what they entail.
Quick links on sustainability.
- PCI Comparative Life Cycle Assessment — Precast Concrete Commercial Buildings
- PCI Designer's Notebook — Sustainability with LEED v4
- PCI Designer's Notebook — Suitability of Environmental Product Declarations in Material Selection
- LEED to Federal Mandates: The Evolution of Sustainability in Construction
Identifying better ways to build.
Our new cladding system, Infinite Facade™, uses approximately 65% less concrete than typical precast spandrel construction in multi-story buildings. These lighter weight panels also help reduce the size of the structure needed to support the exterior enclosure, further reducing the overall embodied carbon impact.
We've also created an early design energy analysis tool to calculate potential EUI reduction and annual energy cost savings based on project design window to wall ratios.
More sustainability resources from Wells.
Addressing Embodied Carbon During the Prefabricated Concrete Manufacturing Process
Wells is dedicated to finding ways to reduce our carbon footprint. Learn more about how prefabricated products are driving sustainability.
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Reducing Carbon in Precast Wall Systems
CarbonCast and its ability to reduce embodied and operational carbon was featured in the February 2023 edition of Building Enclosure
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Environmental Product Declarations: Understanding the Decisions Behind the Data
Explore why environmental product declarations have become urgently needed in today's growing focus on sustainability in construction.
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Clean Energy Key to Reversing Climate Change
Explore the crucial role of clean energy in mitigating climate change and efforts by manufacturers to assess and reduce environmental impacts.
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Built to Last: The Lifecycle Advantage of Prefabricated Concrete
This article explores the lifecycle advantages of prefabricated concrete, highlighting its durability, energy efficiency, and adaptability. By prioritizing longevity, precast concrete contributes to a more sustainable future.
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Redefining Sustainability: Infinite Facade's Innovative Approach
Through the use of prefabrication, Infinite Facade contributes to sustainable construction through the reduction of site disturbance and material waste.
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