Retaining our Environment

The GreenLock Range of Environmentally Friendly Retaining Wall Blocks

      

Ask any developer in Cape Town about availability of land and you'll get a consistent theme. Prime land in the Mother City is at an all time premium, with the result that more and more residences are being built on previously inaccessible sites. In these cases extreme engineering solutions are often called for. Concrete retaining wall blocks present an attractive, secure and cost-effective means of retaining earth banks and stabilizing sites. This aesthetically pleasing solution is becoming increasingly popular, not only in the more extreme cases, but also in less challenging areas to create terraced gardens and maximize the usable plot area.

Cape Brick, located in Salt River, manufactures the GreenLock range of retaining wall blocks, available in both smoothface and rockface finishes. These blocks are unique in that they are the only truly environmentally friendly retaining wall product in the market. How can they make this claim? Because together with Ross Demolition, they acquire, crush and sort construction and demolition rubble into recycled crushed aggregate, which is then used in turn as the main ingredient in their retaining blocks. This is their contribution to building a better environment.

The GreenLock range of retaining wall blocks combine aesthetics and functionality with ease of use to create a beautifully textured and efficiently engineered retaining wall solution. Walls can be left bare for a textured finish or can be planted up with a variety of suitable plant species for a completely natural looking and invisible retaining wall.

One should however bear in mind that the ease of installation has resulted in the perception that little technical knowledge and input is required to build such walls, irrespective of the height. It is important to note that these walls are subject to tremendous loading and in the case of walls over 1.2m high or those at an angle of greater than 65º do require the input of a professional engineer or other competent person. Cape Brick's association with FBS Engineers ensures that their clients have access to support and backing from the foremost industry experts in gravity retaining wall engineering.

For more information please contact Guy Shand at (021) 511-2006.