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Description
UNIBETONI EOOD, situated in the city of Burgas, specializes in ready-mix concrete production. The company faces several notable challenges within its production process, chiefly revolving around the generation of substantial concrete waste volumes and issues related to the security and efficiency of water heating practices. In compliance with regulations, the company currently disposes of residual concrete in a dedicated municipal landfill, incurring added costs and contributing to an unfavorable environmental impact.
By investing in a residual concrete recycling system, UNIBETONI will establish a self-contained material cycle, yielding significant reductions in sand, gravel, and water consumption. The incorporation of an air-to-water heat pump system will introduce automated control mechanisms, enhancing security and overall efficiency. This project''s implementation is set to alleviate existing production limitations, enabling year-round ready-mix concrete production. Anticipated outcomes include a minimum 20% surge in concrete production volumes, fostering environmental responsibility and economic growth. The project''s eco-friendly approach demonstrates UNIBETONI''s commitment to sustainable concrete manufacturing practices.
In addition the partnership with the Norwegian company NorBetong AS will contribute to the successful integration of project technologies and will pave the way for other sustainable investments and/or joint projects combining local production capabilities with good practices. This partnership promises to continue beyond the project and serve as a great example of bilateral cooperation between Norwegian and Bulgarian business.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to address several challenges in Unibetoni''s production process, including the large volume of concrete waste and the low security level of heating water. These issues resulted in increased costs, environmental impact, and production limitations. Additionally, the company faced inefficiencies and bottlenecks that hindered year-round production and reduced operational productivity. The project targeted these challenges by introducing green innovations, such as a residual concrete recycling system to minimize waste and a more efficient air-to-water heat pump system to enhance energy efficiency and production security.
The project involved the purchase and implementation of two innovative systems: a residual concrete recycling system and an air-to-water heat pump system. These investments were aimed at improving production efficiency by reducing waste, reusing residual materials, and maintaining the economic value of resources for longer periods, thereby enhancing the company’s competitiveness.
The project also incorporated know-how transfer to align with Unibetoni EOOD''s long-term strategy of greening production processes.
The project has several environmental benefits:
- Estimated annual decrease of CO2 emissions/equivalents by 3 506 tons
- Estimated annual collection of waste from production and operational processes for re-use or recycling by 0.75 tons.
- Estimated annual decrease in energy consumption by 20.2 mW.
- Estimated annual reduction of fuel consumption by 1300 diesel litre
Summary of bilateral results
NorBetong AS was the Norwegian partner in the project. The company is producing ready-mixed concrete and is a subsidiary HeidelbergCement. NorBetong AS has transfered its know-how and experience in the production of concrete and share good practices in implementation of innovative green solutions.