Skanska to speak at World Demolition Summit

Barbro Brattstrom Grujovic, Business Developer at Skanska. (PHOTO: Skanska)

A trained engineer, Barbro is passionate about innovation and project management, and has vast experience in waste management in both the residential and commercial sectors.

Barbro is responsible for moving Skanska’s business towards circularity, and specialises in creating opportunities for Skanska’s operations by managing various innovation projects, including the Circular Concrete project, which is working to get recycled concrete into new concrete, and Skanska ReSources.

Within Skanska ReSources, materials such as asphalt, concrete, gravel and aggregate supplied by the contractor’s production and receiving facilities - known as ‘resource parks’ - are recycled or reused. In this way, there is a circular flow that saves virgin resources, while materials are used wisely.

“We take samples of the material and process it mechanically,” said Barbro. “We will also have a CE marking to ensure that our materials can withstand use in various areas. The problem is that there is no industry standard yet for recycled products, but we do the best we can based on our knowledge and experience.”

While Skanska ReSources is already reusing asphalt, excavated rock, soil and excavation, sand, concrete and park and garden waste, the company plans to include more materials in the concept soon.

Barbro said: “We are now starting Skanska ReSources 2.0, where we are looking at other materials and how we can develop the concept further. We are about to invest in a mobile concrete plant, which is one of the crucial factors for us to be able to test our materials.

“We see that this is something that will be increasingly in demand. In the future, all materials will be a resource and not waste.”

Leila Steed, Programme Organiser for the World Demolition Summit, said: “Barbro’s insight into developing and implementing circular working methods is invaluable, and I’m incredibly proud to welcome her to this year’s WDS.”

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