Owners and their project managers
Enviro-Rock for developers and owners
On a six-storey building in Kelowna, the design sub-excavates 1.8 m of soil and backfills with 1.2 m of foam glass aggregate to top of footing, with mineral aggregate above, for expected settlement under 25 mm over 50 years, down from a projected 85 to 115 mm without ground improvement. The design was independently peer reviewed before tender.[1]
Enviro-Rock at a glance
- Loose dry bulk density
- 200 kg/m³
- Angle of friction
- 39° at 65 kPa
- Thermal resistance
- R-2.4 per inch, dry
- Up to, per B-train load
- 140 m³
From the Enviro-Rock specification table and delivery trailer sheet. Sources on the product page.
Your priorities
What you need from a supplier
01
Predictable settlement
A foundation solution with settlement predicted by the geotechnical engineer and reviewed before tender.
02
A delivered price
Shipping distance significantly affects the cost of foam glass aggregate, so the number that matters is the price delivered to site.[2]
03
Supply planned around placement
Large loads, and a delivery plan agreed in the quote around the placement schedule.
What you get
What Enviro-Rock provides
01
Design outcomes from published projects
In Kelowna, expected settlement is under 25 mm over 50 years, against a projected 85 to 115 mm without ground improvement.[1] At Jim Lorimer Park, the design projects roughly 200 mm of settlement instead of around 600 mm.[3]
02
A reviewed design precedent
The Kelowna design named Enviro-Rock as the basis of design and was independently peer reviewed, with every comment resolved and accepted before tender.[1]
04
The delivery estimator and a quote
The delivery estimator gives truckloads and an indicative delivery window. Delivery times vary with location and product availability[5], so the quote sets out the price and a proposed delivery schedule.
05
Savings beyond the fill
Depending on the project, Enviro-Rock's properties can contribute to savings in structural requirements, equipment, labour, transportation and installation.[6]
06
A provincial listing
Enviro-Rock is an accepted lightweight fill product on the BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit Recognized Products List.[7]
Applications
Where you are likely to use it
Application
Soft ground embankments
Enviro-Rock foam glass aggregate fill for road embankments, grade raises and widenings over soft or compressible ground, accepted on BC's Recognized Products List.
Application
Retaining wall backfill
Free-draining foam glass aggregate backfill for MSE, cast-in-place and segmental retaining walls, where a lighter fill means less lateral earth pressure on the wall.
Application
Load-compensating foundations
Sub-excavate heavy soil under a building and rebuild with light Enviro-Rock fill, so the clay below carries less net load and settles less, as on a six-storey Kelowna project.
Application
Under-slab insulation
One layer of foam glass aggregate under a slab on grade that insulates, drains, breaks capillary rise and gives soil gas a path to a radon system.
Application
Green roof and plaza fill
Lightweight, free-draining foam glass aggregate for green roof build-ups, deep fill over roof slabs and the base under pavers and pedestals on plazas and terraces.
Questions
Common questions
Can lightweight fill save time compared with a preload?
A lighter fill adds less load to soft ground, so there is less settlement to wait out. On the Kelowna building, the design sub-excavates 1.8 m and rebuilds with 1.2 m of foam glass aggregate and mineral aggregate above, for expected settlement under 25 mm over 50 years.[1] Your geotechnical engineer compares time and cost against a preload for your site.
How do I compare installed cost with conventional fill?
Compare installed cost for the whole design. Depending on the project, Enviro-Rock can contribute to savings in structural requirements, equipment, labour, transportation and installation.[6] Gravel costs less per cubic metre at the pit but more to ship, as the Langley Advance Times reported.[8]
What does Enviro-Rock cost?
There is no published price list, so each project is quoted. Shipping distance significantly affects the cost of foam glass aggregate[2], so the quote is built on your delivery address and volume.
How many trucks will my job need?
Divide the loose volume by the load size: a B-train carries up to 140 m³ (about 183 yd³).[4] The delivery estimator converts a compacted volume to loose volume and counts the loads.
Where is it an accepted product?
In BC it is an accepted lightweight fill on the Ministry of Transportation and Transit Recognized Products List.[7] Alberta lists it as a Potential Product.[9][10] It has no approval in Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska or the Yukon, where acceptance rests with the project owner and the engineer of record.
Sources
- [1] Case study: 6-storey building, Kelowna, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [2] Applications for Foamed Glass Lightweight Aggregate, final report, Illinois Tollway Research Program, Washington State University et al., 2025
- [3] Case study: Jim Lorimer Park playground, Burnaby, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [4] Enviro-Rock delivery trailer overview, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [5] Frequently asked questions, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [6] Enviro-Rock benefits, Enviro-Corp Recycling
- [7] Recognized Products List, Lightweight Fill Material (October 1, 2026), BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit
- [8] Abbotsford's Enviro-Corp Recycling transforming glass into rocks, Langley Advance Times
- [9] Product evaluation: Enviro-Rock (8165-5-7), Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors
- [10] Products List: Lightweight Fill (March 18, 2026), Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors
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