For Dieppe’s D.A.S. Concrete Countertops, sustainability is not simply a buzzword, it’s a core value; it is literally in the company’s name (D.A.S. = Durability, Accessibility, Sustainability). Co-founder Emma Theriault says that sustainable products and processes have been a priority since day one. “We were an early founding member of Green Economy New Brunswick. Their team helps us prepare a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory – we just completed our third one,” she says. “We have now begun setting targets for lowering our emissions over the next five to ten years, really mapping out where we hope to be. It’s huge for us in terms of being able to put our money where our mouths are.”
Sustainable products
While D.A.S. specializes in precast polished concrete countertops and other surfaces, it has expanded its product line considerably since its 2018 launch. It now offers a growing line of prefabricated products including concrete benches, accessible picnic tables, outdoor ping pong tables and more. “We’re really hoping to see more locally made, sustainable products in public spaces.”
Theriault says municipalities have become a significant target market for many of these offerings. “Many municipalities are now looking at sustainable procurement. Being able to articulate your company’s story and how you’re hitting sustainability targets can open doors in this regard. For a small business like us, municipalities can be a more accessible public sector market than some of the bigger fish.”
D.A.S. also offers glow-in-the-dark pavers and other products, providing an eco-friendly lighting solution requiring no electricity, light bulbs, or batteries. They use a glow-in-the-dark marble aggregate that quickly absorbs light during the day and slowly emits it in the evening hours. “It’s a unique product that fits with our focus on reducing emissions, no electricity required. The stones are guaranteed to glow for 20 years, and they’re a nice alternative for areas where you don’t need bright lights, just dim lighting to help you see where you’re walking. This is another product we’re hoping to see more of in public spaces. Our glow-in-the-dark products are all DarkSky approved and are a great way to help reduce light pollution.” D.A.S. can also supply loose glow-in-the-dark aggregate that can be incorporated into pour-in-place concrete projects or loose gravel pathways, or even scattered around firepits or flowerbeds.
Sustainable practices
Theriault says her team has deliberately chosen to work with concrete that has a lower cement content, for environmental reasons. “Cement often gets blasted for being responsible for 8 per cent of global carbon emissions, and we present to architects and designers that have no doubt heard that statistic,” she says. “We use a more traditional concrete mix than many in the concrete countertop industry. It allows us to make high-quality concrete with a lower cement content and a greater reliance on locally sourced materials. Concrete countertops are manufactured locally instead of being shipped around the world. They are durable and easier to repair than many other countertop materials.”
D.A.S. wastes very little material, using any leftover concrete to manufacture smaller products like soap dishes and trinket trays. Half of its soap dish profits are contributed to Moncton’s Harvest House Atlantic as a means of giving back to the local community.
Theriault notes much of the company’s investment in sustainability began from day one. “We filter and recycle our polishing water, minimize waste, and try to incorporate recycled materials into our products as much as possible. We also worked to have our workspace fitted with heat pumps and LED lights as we prepared to move in.”
Start now
Her advice for other companies serious about sustainability is to start yesterday. “I strongly suggest working with Green Economy NB on measuring your carbon footprint for starters. Get that baseline of where you are, so that when you do start implementing a lot of this stuff, either by choice or necessity, you’ve got something to measure yourself against. You can then capture that improvement and build your sustainability story from there. The GHG inventory will not only open doors for clients like the federal government, it will also reveal important things you may not have noticed. For example, our water consumption was a smaller part of our footprint than we thought, while transportation ended up being much larger. One piece of machinery shipped from China contributed heavily to our transportation emissions; that only underscored the value of sourcing locally. The point is what you think is having the most impact may not be accurate.”
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D.A.S. Concrete Countertops offer full custom fabrication and installation services throughout the Maritimes, as well as a growing line of pre-fabricated slabs and products for both residential and commercial applications. Visit them at https://www.dasconcrete.com/ or drop into their showroom in Dieppe to learn more.
New Brunswick-based businesses beginning their own sustainability journey can connect with ONB at any time. Our team is ready to help.