FIBREC 3.0

Manufacturing concrete without any cement is Wolfgang Rieder‘s vision for a climate-positive future. Yet the actual inspiration for the idea is thousands of years old - the Pantheon in Rome. To be more precise: the opus caementicium used there. Roman builders added natural pozzolans – volcanic ash, trass and similar minerals – to this “cast masonry”. These elements react hydraulically with water and lime to form insoluble compounds, which have properties similar to cement. The durability of these compounds exceeds that of modern concrete – and this ancient knowledge flows into Wolfgang Rieder’s forward-looking considerations. The aim is for natural, local pozzolans to replace cement throughout the entire Rieder product range by 2027. Completely eliminating cement from concrete production would enable the Rieder Group to bring the world’s first cement-free concrete facade onto the market. Glassfibre reinforced concrete with a reduced amount of cement has already been used on a facade area of 400 sqm on the Rieder Campus. Replacing 50 % of the cement with alternative emission-free materials resulted in a 30 % reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Recyclable materials were also used to revitalise the existing building structures on the Rieder Campus in Maishofen, making the site the physical manifesto of Wolfgang Rieder’s ideas. His innovative ideas and convictions show that everything can still be built from concrete – even a climate-friendly future. The family business is the first facade manufacturer to produce a CO2-reduced glassfibre reinforced concrete and thus make an active contribution towards the energy revolution. The concrete skin, öko skin and formparts products are available with the cement-reduced matrix in selected colours. The large-size, low-carbon facade panels combine sustainable aspects with the classic benefits of glass fibre reinforced concrete. The elements are only 13 mm thick, non-flammable, robust, long-lasting and easy to install.