By Andy Cullum, Managing Director at Polypipe Building Services
Supporting and driving the sustainability of the built environment and manufacturing sector is key to reducing the world’s energy usage and carbon emissions. At Polypipe Building Services, a range of exciting developments are underway including advancing the circular economy and tackling climate change. But what other areas is Polypipe Building Services focusing on?
A sustainable built environment can be circular and holistic, with focuses on longevity and low-carbon technologies. It is at the heart of the built environment’s future, particularly as the built environment is responsible for half of all global energy use and half of all greenhouse gas emissions.
Manufacturers that place sustainability at the heart of what they do put themselves in a better position to reap the benefits. According to a report from MAKE UK, nearly a fifth of manufacturers are going much further with imaginative and cutting-edge energy efficiency projects. Businesses are starting to look past the immediate cost saving drivers towards sustainability for the long term, which is not only attracting investor confidence, but the brightest and best employees.
Here at Polypipe Building Services, we are excited by all the developments that are happening in relation to sustainability. Genuit Group – of which Polypipe Building Services is a part of – has highlighted the main approaches from a sustainability perspective including:
•Advancing the circular economy
•Developing sustainable solutions
•Tackling climate change
•Investing in an engaged and diverse workforce
These key approaches have been the basis for the action we’re taking at Polypipe Building Services.
Circular economy
There are many exciting things happening at Polypipe Building Services from a circular economy perspective. We are currently aiming to use larger amounts of recycled materials in both of our main product families – i.e., our Terrain brand (PVC) and FUZE (HDPE).
As part of the aim to use more recycled materials, Polypipe Building Services is looking at areas such as material science and development; working with our partners to make sure that the systems we create are kitemarked and certificated. We are using more recycled material where the standards allow to adopt a circular economy. Wherever the standards allow us to use recycled material, we’re making sure we are optimising that.
Sustainable solutions
At Polypipe Building Services, we are identifying solutions that are more innovative. One of our key solutions is our Advantage offering, where we take individual components and produce a fabricated stack, which is far more sustainable as you have less waste, less offcuts, and less work onsite. Advantage is certainly helping with sustainable solutions for drainage and water supply.
The environment
Additionally, Polypipe Building Services is focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in compliance with SECR reporting. Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) requires companies to report on their energy usage and the associated greenhouse gas emissions. These are divided into three Scopes, known as Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3.
Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from controlled or owned sources and Scope 2 is defined as indirect emissions that are a consequence of your organisation’s activities. In line with SECR reporting, Polypipe Building Services is focusing on using more economical transport methods, machines that are more efficient and greener aerodynamic vehicles.
Invest in workforce
Sustainability is a real buzzword for environmental health. But sustainability can also be related to the health of a company and its positive working culture.
Here at Polypipe Building Services, it’s key for us to cultivate a nurturing work environment. A sustainable business is highly desirable for both prospective and current employees. Not only are we investing in more training hours for staff development, we are following a total wellbeing calendar this year to focus on the health of our people.
Whilst it is important for us to focus on sustainable solutions that drive efficiency and innovation, a huge part of being a sustainable business is ensuring employee happiness. From professional development, to quizzes, socials, healthy food and drink, Polypipe Building Services is committed to creating a healthy and engaged community.
Sustainability is having a huge impact on the built environment and manufacturing sector. For many businesses, the change it is putting into motion is enabling greater efficiencies and innovations, not to mention a larger focus on the wellbeing of staff.
