Sustainability figures strongly in our consciousness when we consider how to operate. However, what does sustainability mean? It’s not a simple concept, but a combination of several concepts and parts that feed into the larger idea. We approach it from environmental, economic, and social stances. The construction industry as a whole accounts for a huge portion of the demand for finite natural resources. As a result, there is growing pressure on the industry to minimise its environmental impact.
What is sustainability?
Sustainability concerns itself with the future; it’s about meeting our own needs whilst trying to ensure that the needs of future generations will be met too. As aforementioned, this does not only concern natural resources but social and economic resources. The approach to sustainability has to be holistic, rather than independently assessed.
As a result of the holistic approach, the UN sets out 17 goals for the sustainability drive.
The building industry focuses on a lot of these goals in different ways. The industry accounts for almost 40% of global CO2 emissions. Therefore having a positive effect on as many goals is crucial for growing sustainability. The emissions do not stop after the building is finished, as operational carbon is released into the environment throughout a material’s life cycle. Whilst the building industry is working hard to reduce the embodied carbon (amount of carbon emitted during the entire manufacturing and building process), reducing operational carbon relies on the products themselves. However, efforts are being made to impact the above goals, and external wall insulation plays an integral part.
The goals we tackle
- Goal 3 – Good health and well-being – Better insulated homes keep a better ambient temperature, positively affecting health. Paired with a good ventilation strategy, external wall insulation will also prevent the growth of mould on the property.
- Goal 7 – Affordability and clean energy – Cost-effective ranges like EPS insulation are available to more people, whilst the government’s ECO4 and ECO Plus schemes provide extra funding for insulation projects.
- Goal 8 – Decent work and economic growth – Investment into insulation provides more jobs, stimulating economic growth. The installation of external wall insulation also increases the property value.
- Goal 9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure – All of our insulation products rate positively in terms of embodied carbon and ozone depletion potential.
- Goal 12 – Responsible consumption and production – Our suppliers are improving their practices in terms of production and we are thrilled to keep stocking these products. Rockwool and Kingspan place a premium on sustainability.
- Kingspan – The Planet Passionate Report details Kingspan’s commitment to sustainability and Net Zero. At present, they operate at 100% Net Zero Energy. They have also made a 4.3% decrease in carbon in manufacturing from 2020 to 2021.
- Rockwool – Sustainability Report: During 2021, we met the intermediate 2022 goal for an additional two sustainability goals (CO2 intensity and reclaimed material), adding to the two sustainability goals we met in 2020. For CO2 intensity, we achieved a 16% reduction compared to the 10% intermediate goal. Regarding reclaimed material, we added three new countries to the list of countries where we offer our Rockcycle® reclaimed material service, reaching a total of 17 countries compared to the intermediate goal of 15
- Goal 13 – Climate action – Insulation projects directly impact the Net Zero drive and inevitably positively impact the environment by reducing carbon emissions of buildings.
Blowing agents, GWP, ODP, and HCFCs
The choice of external wall insulation boards is the primary way we approach the sustainability of our business. Our suppliers have conducted extensive studies into their products, especially concerning the environmental impact. The major concerns with insulation products are the Blowing Agents, Global Warming Potential, Ozone Depletion Potential, and HCFCs.
- Blowing Agent – Substance used during the manufacture of foam insulation, enhancing the thermal performance of the finished product.
- Global Warming Potential – How much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere and in turn how much the product is estimated to contribute to global warming.
- Ozone Depletion Potential – The ratio of the ability of a substance to degrade the ozone.
- HCFCs – Hydrochlorofluorocarbons, which replaced CFCs as blowing agents.
| GWP | ODP | HCFC/CFC | |
| Rockwool | Under 5 | 0 | ❌ |
| EPS | 1430 (100 years) | 0 | ❌ |
| Kingspan K5 | Under 5 | 0 | ❌ |
Embodied and operational carbon
The building will continue to release carbon even once the construction has finished. To determine the total carbon emissions of a building, both embodied and operational carbon is considered. Therefore, reducing both will have a positive effect on reducing overall carbon emissions.
Embodied carbon is the carbon emitted during the manufacturing and building process. In contrast, operational carbon refers to the total from all energy sources used to power a building, as well as emissions from the assembly. These terms are useful to distinguish where carbon emissions come from in the building industry. Studies estimate that operational carbon is approximately 28% of global GHG, whilst embodied carbon is another 11%. (Hutton, Sustainable Brands. 2020)
As operational carbon accounts for a larger percentage of total emissions, it is crucial to consider the impact external wall insulation can have. When an insulated thermal envelope is in place, heat loss drops and the walls act as a heat store. Therefore, you will need to heat your home less often and for a shorter period. As a result, you will spend less on your electricity and heating bills. Consequently, the operational carbon of your building drops. However, there is a discussion in the industry as to whether there is a break-even point at which the reduction in operational carbon no longer outweighs the increase in embodied carbon.
Recycling and repurposing for sustainability
Another key facet of sustainability is the recycling and repurposing of product packaging. Firstly, our Performance Basecoat and Monocouche Scratch Render come in easily recyclable bags. We are having internal discussions about moving all of our products into these bags, as they are more easily recyclable than our paper bags. Our buckets once emptied and washed out, double extremely well as mixing buckets or for general on-site use.
It is also possible to use our buckets for gardening purposes! Just poke a few holes in the bottom for drainage and all of a sudden, you can have a large plant pot, fitted with a handle for hanging plants.
If you have any ideas on how else you can repurpose our products, leave us a comment!
