GBE > Encyclopaedia > Code > Greenwash > G#948 N#966
Fibre Cement Cladding
Fibre Cement Cladding
About:
Standard operational practice dressed up as a Green feature.
This is one of the most pervasive ‘greenwash’ claims.
Devoid of any real Green features, the manufacturer’s marketing department will make the best of what’s available.
When you have no environmental story to tell you invent one so you can claim to have one.
Environmental Asbestos-free, Environmentally friendly asbestos-free
- Asbestos fibres have been banned from manufacture of fibre cement materials for some considerable time, at least in this part of the world.
- And if the manufacturer has any morals, they should not be part of manufacture in any other part of the world, where it may be permitted.
- E.g. Asbestos was recently reported to be the latest great thermal insulation promoted in Eastern Europe.
- Like tobacco and cigarettes once the European’s had given up smoking the sector shifts focus to the latin Americas.
- There is no asbsetos fibre based cement products in our market so asbestos-free is not a differentiator.
- its not an environmental improvement over normal practice.
- Its a health improvement over historic normal practice that was later determined to be bad practice.
- This statement contravenes ISO 14021 Manufacturer’s Self-declarations
Highly cost effective weatherproofing
- Its often the case that when manufacturers try to produce cost effective materials they resort to poor environmental choices.
- OPC Ordinary Portland Cement
- Cement generates CO2 as part of the chemical reaction
- (2% of UK CO2 production or 8-10% of global CO2 production)
- What water proofing lap joint sealant is used?
Non-toxic
- its not clear from this advertising what the fibre is.
- It claims to be non-toxic with no recipe to judge.
Available in a range of painted colours
- What are the ingredients of the painted finishes?
- Are they benign?
Requires no special precautions
- But normal precautions are probably recommended or at least advisable
Has excellent noise and thermal insulation properties
- fibre cement is dense and has a very poor R value and there is very little of the material so this is a pretty weak claim
- Fibre cement is dense and may offer some decrement delay but there is so little material that this could not be claimed
- fibre cement is dense so could offer some acoustic resistance but there is so little material that this is a pretty weak claim.
Is available with a 30 year guarantee (on request)
- if you don’t formally ask before you start there will probably be no guarantee
- add this requirement to the specification
© GBE NGS ASWS BrianMurphy
aka BrianSpecMan
18th May 2013 – 1st July 2016
Fibre Cement Cladding
Images:
© GBE NGS ASWS BrianMurphy
aka BrianSpecMan
18th May 2013 – 1st July 2016
Fibre Cement Cladding
See Also:
GBE Jargon Buster
- Asbestos
- Asbestos cement
- Asbestosis
- BBA Approved
- Fibre Cement
- Decrement Delay
- ISO 14021
- Manufactuer’s Self-declaration
- GBE Echo
GBE CPD
GBE Checklist
- H31 Profiled cladding
GBE Collaborative Services
- GBE Echo Confirmation of manufacturer’s Self-Declaration
- GBE Echo 1082
GBE 6 Core pages
GBE Suppliers
- Company name
GBE Installers
- Company names
GBE Systems
- System Reference: __
GBE Products
- Product Reference: _
GBE Accessories
- Accessory Reference: _
GBE Manufacturer
- Marley Eternit
GBE Materials
GBE Collaborative Services
© GBE NGS ASWS BrianMurphy
aka BrianSpecMan
18th May 2013 – 1st July 2016
