Efficiency & Sustainability
DEMONSTRATING COMMITMENT WITH SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION
Sustainability is increasingly important to the glazing industry – and with further changes anticipated in the Future Homes Standard in 2025 , this is likely to heighten . The thermal performance of glazing systems is key to the creation of sustainable buildings and to demonstrate a commitment to this certification is essential . Technical Services Director of Reynaers Aluminium UK , John McComb explains what accreditations matter most for sustainable building projects - and window and door systems .
One source of confusion over the environmental credentials of products is the number of ways performance is assessed and certified . So , while top level targets for reaching net zero are clear , there can often be a number of questions about how to most accurately track the sustainability of buildings . This means that manufacturers need to do more in helping to clear this confusion .
WHAT SHOULD YOU BE LOOKING FOR FROM A MANUFACTURER ?
Manufacturers should have a clear policy in place led by environmental , social and governance ( ESG ) standards , outlining an ethical position in terms of the environment , social impact , and the way the business is run .
Reynaers , for example , has put in place Reynaers Act , a sustainability strategy covering the manufacture of products , operation of the business and all aspects of the value chain . A strong first step is to work with schemes such as the Science Based Targets initiative ( SBTi ), where organisations commit to firm , measurable targets to lower emissions in line with the Paris Agreement .
WHAT ACCREDITATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ?
At the specification stage , attention needs to be paid to the products used and whether they meet criteria for key certifications . This should be covered by environmental product declarations ( EPDs ) and Cradle to Cradle certification .
For a verified account of the life of a product an EPD details eco-credentials , covering value chain , raw materials , manufacturing , use and end of life . Compliant with ISO 14025 , the international standard for environmental labels , it gives a clear insight into the suitability of a product .
Cradle to Cradle certification focuses more directly on the product , with the aim to support a circular economy . This judges the safety of materials , energy and water usage , and social responsibility , but most importantly , that it can be reused at the end of its life .
PROJECT CERTIFICATION
Product-specific certification will put in place the foundations to secure overall sustainability accreditation . In the UK the most common accreditation is BREEAM ( Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method - the first scheme in the country to recognise sustainable building design . Independent assessments use scientific data to measure factors including energy use , materials used , waste , air quality and wellbeing .
Alternatively , projects can apply for LEED certification ( Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ). Developed in the United States , LEED is used globally , verifying certification through documentation . While both schemes hold high standards , BREEAM is more widely adopted in the UK , having been established here .
If the focus is thermal efficiency , Passive House verifies energy emissions from buildings . Windows and doors are key to Passive House accreditation as buildings should have no need for heat energy , instead naturally maintaining a comfortable temperature through insulation and ventilation .
Ideally sustainable projects would meet all relevant accreditations . In practice this would see Cradle to Cradle doors and windows , backed by EPD declarations , offering optimal thermal efficiency in a sustainable building .
This is essential for the future but can be done now . Reynaers already manufactures nine Cradle to Cradle systems and is working to increase that , as well as adding digital passports to all of its products , and introducing recycled aluminium where possible . Reynaers has already secured an initial supply of low carbon aluminium and is looking to systematically increase this supply in the near future . A number of Reynaers products also achieve U-values as low as 0.8w / m ² K . These all support sustainable building accreditation .
While a uniform approach is ideal to give sustainable building design a clear , targeted structure , demonstrating environmental awareness through circular products , operational change and thermally efficient products puts in place the foundations to support sustainability in the built environment .
www . reynaers . co . uk
CLEARVIEW-UK . COM NOVEMBER 2023
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