Sustainability in construction is all important, and everyone up and down the supply chain needs to play their part to reduce the sector’s impact on the environment.
As a designer, manufacturer and installer of integrated rainscreen cladding systems, our products are a large part of any development and so we can have a big role in making a project greener and more environmentally friendly.
To do that, we’ve undertaken a series of measures which make our business and product more sustainable – helping you to reduce your Scope 3 carbon emissions and choose a greener product.
New solar panel arrays are planned for the roofs of our buildings which will save 31,745 kg of carbon per year, making a big dent in our emissions. That’s the equivalent of 55 round trip flights to Munich, 229,000 km of driving or the emissions from the annual energy use of approximately 352 homes!
We’ve also made moves to go paper-free across our facilities. We are moving from a paper-based system to a fully electronic system that will cut all waste paper out of our daily operations. It will also be in line with Building Regulations and Golden Thread requirements so that you can buy from us with complete confidence and meet fire safety regulations more easily.
Additionally, Dyson Air Blades have been installed to replace the blue towels we previously used and save us cutting down so many trees.
Another area where we have made big sustainability changes is our vehicle fleet. As well as manufacturing systems, we also deliver them to site so there is a big opportunity to make our business more sustainable in that area.
With that in mind, we have committed to upgrading our commercial vehicles to create a more sustainable, modern fleet.
This will have approximately 12,000 kg of carbon a year, equivalent to 21 round trips to Munich, or 86,000km of driving annually. That’s a huge improvement and will make a big difference in our journey to becoming the most sustainable company we can be.
We’re also matching those actions with our company cars. By upgrading to either full hybrid or electric, we estimate that a further 12,000kg of carbon can be saved per year which is approximately what 132 homes use each year.
Finally, the other side of sustainability in construction is longevity and reuse. There’s no point having an electric fleet if your product only lasts for five years before needing replacement – leading to further carbon emissions, material extraction and transport requirements.
We try to make all our products as durable and long-lasting as possible so that can be avoided. For example, our systems are A1 and A2 fire rated to contribute to fire safety and the overall sustainability of the whole building.
We also offer a pre-coated steel in association with SSAB which is 100% recyclable thanks to its bio-based coating. This coating removes fossil fuel elements from the manufacturing process and contributes to high fire and smoke safety ratings.
SSAB Zero is even more sustainable, being made from 100% recycled scrap steel and produced in an innovative electric arc furnace that uses 100% renewable energy.
Overall, SSAB Zero emits less than 0.05kg CO2 per kilogram of steel. Per tonne of steel, this equates to 50kg compared to the global average of 2,000kg/tonne – a major saving for your Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
That’s just some examples of the sustainable products we have on offer, to go with our new environmentally friendly operational measures.
