FEATURE HEADING
How sustainability goals are driving product innovation
There are many benefits to the construction industry reducing its carbon emissions, but did you know that sustainability is also proving to be a huge driver of product innovation? Here, Lara Coutinho, ERA’ s Supply Chain Sustainability Manager, explores how a commitment to UN Sustainable Development Goals( SDGs) is creating industry-first product solutions for window and door manufacturers.
» ALIGNING WITH SUPPLIERS THAT are committed to UN SDGs is an opportunity filled with potential for window and door manufacturers and fabricators. Far from just a corporate exercise, in doing so, it offers them the chance to be part of positive global change but also enables them to access some of the most innovative solutions available on the market. Suppliers that are signed up to help achieve UN SDGs are doing things differently and that mindset is breaking new ground in many areas – including the product solutions that they are bringing to the window and door industry.
In the case of hardware suppliers like ERA, this is helping to deliver greater value to window and door manufacturers and their customers, by providing access to more intelligent, secure, and sustainable solutions that make homes safer, better connected, and future-facing.
So, what does this look like in practice?
More on UN SDGs
Striving to address five critical global areas, including people, the planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership, the UN’ s 17 SDGs are objectives providing a framework for governments, individuals and businesses to tackle poverty, gender inequality, world health, economic growth, and climate action, amongst others. Established in 2015, the UN SDGs are part of the UN’ s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Fostering cross-industry collaboration
While 70 % of construction projects are incorporating sustainability targets according to the Sustainable Futures Report from NBS, the Climate Change Committee outlined in its 2024 Progress in reducing emissions report, that the industry’ s emissions reduction rate needs to triple to achieve the government’ s 2030 legally-binding greenhouse gas target.
Given this sobering news, it is clear that a collaborative effort is required to achieve a more sustainability-conscious sector.
Alignment with UN SDGs can inspire this more joined-up approach, given that to achieve these goals companies often need to work in partnership with external bodies and organisations, across industries.
When this collaboration takes place, a breadth of knowledge is shared between parties, which can lead to the development of ground-breaking products and services, not only from a sustainable perspective, but more broadly too.
Some of today’ s most innovative solutions and technologies are a result of combined expertise and collective resources.
In introducing innovative smart home technology to a wide audience, ERA set out to contribute to two of the UN SDGs – SDG 9 and SDG 11 – with its TouchKey solution.
First, SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – which aims to build resilient infrastructure; promote inclusive, sustainable industrialisation; and foster innovation.
Secondly, SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities – which strives to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, by improving urban living standards and enhancing security.
TouchKey supports SDG 9 and SDG 11 by combining a smarter security door handle, an auto-firing multi-point lock, and an anti-bump security cylinder with one single door security system – an innovation that helps to create more sustainable, secure and resilient homes and communities
To ensure that TouchKey was able to achieve its intended purpose to the highest standard, ERA worked in conjunction with the British Standards Institution( BSI) to develop an all-new certification – BSI’ s Smart Residential Locking Device Standard.
Established in 2022, it combines the BSI Internet of Things( IoT) Kitemark with TS 621 for mechanical security with smart locking. ERA’ s TouchKey was the first product to achieve the standard.
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MAY 2025
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