SUSTAINABILITY OPEN THE DOOR TO
THE GREEN AGENDA With the COP28 global summit and the first Global Stocktake in November, sustainability continues to become ever-more pressing across all industries.
T
he challenges facing the planet are unprecedented. A UN report reiterated that humans are responsible for global heating over the past 200 years, which has led to a current temperature rise of 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels. Hamish White, plant manager at the Penrith factory of joinery manufacturer Jeld-Wen, says that merchants and manufacturers, have the opportunity to work together and review not only their own sustainability strategies, but how together they can work to establish an environmentally-sound supply chain that is fit for the future.
“It’s what consumers are calling for. Research has shown that increased eco- awareness is prompting customers, stakeholders and investors to engage with more socially-minded companies, who act for the benefit of both people and planet. “It’s important to remember that small actions can add up to significant impact over time. By sharing learnings and best practice, businesses can set a new industry standard that will ensure a positive environmental legacy - and offer other rewards too,” he says.
Fuelling change
White says that, when considering more sustainable energy sources to traditional fossil-based fuels solar, wind and even micro- grids may be the obvious alternative. “But it’s important not to overlook the benefits of biomass,” he adds.
Generated from organic matter, biomass is a renewable energy source, which - although it releases carbon dioxide when burned - has considerably less impact than fossil fuels. In fact, any excess supply of sustainably sourced timber from the manufacturing process can be used as fuel to minimise
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waste and ensure optimum circularity. By replacing the material used through replanting initiatives, it’s possible to ensure the CO2 emitted from biomass equals the amount absorbed over the months and years that the tree was growing, resulting in a carbon-neutral process, he explains.
There is also a wider movement towards electric as a cleaner fuel source. As the technology continues to advance, taking measures such as replacing fleets of diesel trucks with electric alternatives can have a big impact – not just on the carbon footprint, but also the bottom line. “At JELD-WEN, we’ve taken a number of measures like this to increase our efficiency, resulting in annual savings of more than £650,000, showing how a short term investment can go a long way. Elsewhere, there are equally effective approaches to help reduce haulage emissions. We’ve worked to reduce space on pallets from our Penrith site to maximise load capacity, taking 14,000 miles of trailer journeys off the road each year - a 14-tonne reduction in annual CO2 emissions,” White says.
Re-use, reduce, recycle White explains that the Jeld-Wen Penrith site, as part of an ambitious target to eliminate all landfill waste by 2024, has already been able to achieve an 80% waste reduction. A critical area in achieving this was a factory-wide focus on the increased circularity of materials, he says, with every team member playing a role in everything from establishing waste sorting and identification, to optimising processes and reducing transportation. “Where we aren’t able to re-use waste timber at the factory, it is sent off site for recycling. Some 2,740 tonnes of A-Grade wood waste last year was filtered back into
the supply chain, supprting our target of reducing landfill. In addition, we’ve replaced all glazed door packaging with FSC-approved, recyclable cardboard. As a result, more than 104,000 doors per year no longer have plastic shrink-wrap applied, and 17 tonnes of plastic wrap has been removed from the supply chain. We now save 246,000 kWh per year in energy, as the equipment used to heat seal the plastic is no longer needed - saving 57 tonnes in CO2 emissions.”
Chain reaction
White says that, to achieve real and sustained impact for the planet, it’s important to act in partnership with fellow businesses and industries. Merchants, he believes, can act as important ‘gate-keepers’; to support and promote those manufacturers who are taking active steps to reduce their impact, cut their carbon footprint and create a more eco-efficient product. Holding suppliers to a higher environmental standard and championing those working in a holistic and sustainable way, will help to ensure that everyone is working towards the same green goal.
Future-proofing
“We know that the route to a sustainable future isn’t an easy one. Amidst a challenging economic environment, it can be difficult for companies to invest the time, resource and long- term commitment that is required to achieve demonstrable green impact.
However, as the same UN report states, change is achievable and - as demonstrated in our work at our Penrith facility - the short term investment in a sustainable strategy can help not just in reducing a business’ carbon footprint, but can pay dividends in the long run.” BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net July 2023
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