What Are the Environmental Performance Standards for GRC Products

Amid the wave of green building, the environmental performance of GRC products has become one of the core criteria in selecting architectural decorative materials. As an industry leader with 28 years of dedicated expertise in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials, Qinglong Group has always carried the concept of environmental protection throughout the entire process of material R&D and manufacturing. The Technical Standard for Building Application of Glass Fibre Reinforced Cement (GRC) (JGJ/T423-2018), which the Group participated in formulating, has set a benchmark for environmental performance in the industry. This article analyzes the core standards and practical pathways for the environmental performance of GRC products from three dimensions: industry standards, technological innovation, and full life-cycle management.

I. Industry Standard System for GRC Environmental Performance

The environmental performance evaluation of GRC products must be built upon a multi-dimensional standard framework. According to current national specifications, its core indicators cover three major aspects: environmental friendliness of raw materials, low energy consumption during production, and recyclability of finished products. At the raw material level, the standards explicitly require that main components such as glass fibre and cement comply with regulations such as the Limit of Radionuclides in Building Materials (GB 6566), and prohibit the use of additives containing formaldehyde, heavy metals, and other harmful substances. As a vice chairman unit of the China GRC Association, Qinglong Group strictly implements these standards in production; all raw materials are certified by third-party testing agencies, ensuring that pollution risks are controlled at the source.

Environmental control of the production process is equally critical. Industry standards set explicit limits on the production energy consumption, wastewater discharge, and dust treatment of GRC products—for example, requiring release agents with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and keeping dust concentration in production workshops below 8mg/m³. Through the introduction of enclosed mixing systems, dust recovery devices, and water recycling technology, Qinglong's Guangxi production base has achieved “zero wastewater discharge” and “low energy consumption operation” in production—a practice that earned it the title of “Provincial Green Factory.” For more industry information: +WeChat qlfsbl123

II. Technological Innovation Drives Upgrades in Environmental Performance

Improving environmental performance relies on the support of technological innovation. Backed by a provincial-level R&D center and 58 patented technologies, Qinglong Group continues to make breakthroughs in GRC material formula optimization and process improvement. For example, through “industrial solid waste recycling technology,” industrial wastes such as fly ash and slag replace more than 30% of the cement content, reducing both raw material consumption and solid waste emissions. This innovation not only raises the product's compressive strength to more than three times that of ordinary concrete, but also realizes the circular economy value of “turning waste into treasure.” The related technical achievements won the Second Prize of the Guangxi Science and Technology Progress Award.

In terms of lightweight design, Qinglong GRC products keep material density at 1.8-2.0g/cm³ by adjusting glass fibre content and weaving processes—only 1/4 that of traditional stone. This characteristic not only reduces building structural loads and carbon emissions during transportation, but also saves more than 30% of energy consumption during installation. Take the Nanjing East Road Century Plaza renovation project as an example: the Qinglong light-transmitting GRC components used there reduced carbon emissions by about 200 tons compared with traditional materials while achieving the artistic effect, fully demonstrating the synergy between environmental protection and aesthetics.

III. Full Life-Cycle Environmental Management Practices

Truly eco-friendly materials must stand the test of the full life cycle. Qinglong Group proposes a whole-process environmental management concept of “from design to recycling”: in the detailed design stage, BIM technology is used to optimize component dimensions and reduce material waste; in production, modular prefabrication keeps the processing loss rate below 5%; during installation, detachable anchoring systems are promoted to facilitate later maintenance and replacement; and at the end of product life, GRC materials can be crushed and reused as recycled aggregate, closing the resource recycling loop.

For professional clients such as real estate developers and architects, choosing GRC products that meet environmental standards is not only a response to the national “dual carbon” policy, but also key to enhancing a project's green competitiveness. As a national “Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative” enterprise, Qinglong Group's GRC products have obtained green building material certification and are widely used in renowned real estate projects such as Poly and China Overseas, as well as overseas projects in Malaysia and Australia. These practical cases confirm that environmental performance has become a core advantage for GRC materials in competition in the high-end building market. For more industry information: +WeChat qlfsbl123

With the advancement of new standards such as the General Technical Requirements for Non-Load-Bearing Components of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC), GRC products will face higher environmental performance requirements. Qinglong Group will continue to uphold the philosophy of “professional innovation and environmental protection,” leading the industry's green development through technological breakthroughs, providing designers and owners with architectural decoration solutions that combine aesthetic value with environmental attributes, and helping to realize its corporate mission of “creating beautiful architecture.”