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The construction industry’s large share of global CO2 emissions makes any innovation that helps to reduce them worth its weight in gold. The solution to many environmental problems is the circular economy, which involves maximising the use of raw materials and building materials that have the least possible impact on the environment. Therefore, companies more and more often take into account the carbon footprint of products at every stage of their manufacturing and aim to reduce energy consumption in the production process, while ensuring that it comes from renewable sources.
An excellent example of the challenges facing the modern construction industry is the story of the creation of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. A huge problem – which may sound absurd for a project in a desert country – turned out to be the lack of sand. This situation is caused by the desert wind, which grinds up the sand in such a way that it is too fine and too round to be suitable for construction purposes. So 7 million tonnes of sand were imported from as far away as Australia to create this giant, and transporting it by ship meant emitting 3,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. The construction industry will face more and more challenges of this kind, as it consumes the most natural resources of all economic sectors. This is why everyone involved in the building process, from designers to manufacturers of building materials, contractors and developers, is involved in the work on the circularity of construction.
The rules of sustainable development are also important for Aluprof, one of the European leaders in aluminium building and roller shutter systems. The company from Bielsko-Biała has been following the ecological path for years, launching products made in accordance with the idea of circular economy. It is also active in the Polish Green Building Council (PLGBC), where it is involved in many initiatives and inspires others to act in this area. The company’s commitment to climate neutrality is reflected in its strategic goals for 2021–2025.
Aluminium is an excellent material for the construction industry. It is lightweight and very strong, yet ‘malleable’ in terms of design. It can also be recycled many times without losing its physical and functional properties. Therefore, recycled material can be successfully used in the creation of building systems, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of products per tonne of aluminium ingot products. Aluprof has in its portfolio products that were created with a reduction in CO2 emissions by as much as six times compared to the global standard.
The pursuit of Aluprof’s pro-environmental vision is also confirmed by environmental certificates and declarations. As of 2019, the company holds such certificates as the EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) certificate for the aluminium systems it offers. It certifies the low environmental impact of products from a very early stage of their creation – as the expert opinions cover details such as how the material is sourced, how it is produced, as well as its transport, assembly and use. But this is not all. The specialists even take into account the ‘afterlife’ stage of a product, as it is very important to dispose of and recycle it so that it can serve in some new capacity for years to come.
There is a reason why Aluprof’s products and solutions are used in projects that have been awarded prestigious green building certificates such as LEED, DGNB and BREEAM. In a way, they are already a symbol of sustainable construction. Prominent examples of ecological buildings with Aluprof systems include The Forge in London (the first British office building with zero CO2 emissions both in the construction stage and during its subsequent operation) and the V.Offices building in Cracow (considered one of the most ecological BREEAM office buildings in the world).
The rules of sustainable construction are the foundation of modern construction. And the more green building now, the more benefits for everyone in the future. Sustainability is also in Aluprof’s DNA. After all, we have been saying for years: ‘Let’s build a better future’.
Modern buildings should not only be pretty and practical – ecology is also becoming an important aspect, both at the stage of constructing and operating buildings. Aluprof aluminium systems, which are manufactured with low emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, are succ...