Carbon savings solutions and a polar bear

Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, a popular wildlife park near Ipswich, opened Europe’s largest polar bear reserve on 21^st October 2023. A remarkable collaboration between Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, Poundfield and Cemfree resulted in a carbon-saving project to build the enclosure, exemplifying a commitment to both wildlife preservation and sustainability.

Over the past two decades, Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park has undergone expensive development, transforming from an old dairy farm into a thriving animal haven. Its commitment to preserving the well-being of its inhabitants and the planet has culminated in the creation of Europe’s largest polar bear reserve, set to house a new polar bear saved from euthanasia in Sweden.

Integral to the construction of the plunge pool within the polar bear reserve was the use of Cemfree and its range of ultra-low carbon building materials. Cemfree’s environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives to cement were chosen to ensure the project’s commitment to wildlife preservation and ecological responsibility.

Cemfree, along with long-standing partners and pre-cast manufacturers, Poundfield, used Cemfree Rapid, an ultra-low carbon alternative to Portland Cement (PC) for the pre-cast walls of the pool, as well as Cemfree Optima, another ultra-low carbon alternative in the Cemfree binder range. The project was able to be delivered with speed and efficiency due to the non-pre cast elements being able to be hand-mixed and poured on site.

Tony Sheridan, General Group Commercial Director at Cemfree, expressed his excitement about the project: “This project was incredibly fun and heartwarming, with an overall important task at hand, which was saving a polar bear, an already declining species. We share the same ethos and goals as Jimmy’s Farm and Poundfield Precast when it comes to protecting the planet, so it was an absolute pleasure to work on this together.”

The successful collaboration between Cemfree, Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, and Poundfield showcases the potential of sustainable construction practices. By using Cemfree, the project saved half a tonne of carbon, providing an impressive example of how innovative materials such as Cemfree can be used to create environments that are safe for animals and kind to the planet.