BAM Wills JV has begun installation of Duradrain as part of the new €241 million N5 upgrade project, in County Mayo, Ireland. The product, a sustainable and recyclable combined kerb and drainage system, manufactured by green construction innovators Dura Products, will line a significant stretch of the new 20.3km dual carriageway between Turlough and Westport. It forms part of the biggest single infrastructural investment ever undertaken in the county.
Duradrain was chosen primarily as a low carbon kerb and drainage solution, recording a carbon footprint of just 1.71kg of carbon dioxide per kg in its recent Life Cycle Assessments. In addition to its low carbon footprint, its lightweight nature increases productivity, while also reducing risk of injury during installation, making it a safer, simpler and greener alternative to concrete kerb and drainage systems.
Dura Products, who supplied over 4km of Duradrain in October, and will supply another 10.5km between now and the New Year, uses a blend of recycled polymers to manufacture its products, ensuring it continues to divert waste from landfill and reduce demand for virgin plastic. The company has installed more than 400,000 units of its flagship product Durakerb in the UK since 2003, reflecting a burgeoning demand for sustainable construction solutions.
BAM Wills JV, who signed the contract for the N5 upgrade project in October 2019, are equally committed to sustainable practice. Its parent company BAM Ireland recently partnered with the Irish Green Building Council to decarbonise Ireland’s building stock, promote circularity in the construction industry and enhance biodiversity, whilst also planting 150,000 trees to mark its 150th anniversary in 2019.
Commenting on the installation, Steve Bennett, Managing Director of Dura Products said: “We’re delighted that BAM Wills JV selected Duradrain as its chosen kerbside and drainage solution for this project, and that we can help them continue leading the way for sustainable construction in Ireland. Knowing what this project will bring to the region in terms of accessibility, employment and road safety, it fills us with great pride to be involved.”