Environmental issues remain at the forefront in the UK building industry given the necessity for many sectors to have genuinely green credentials. In the aluminium double glazing industry sector, system suppliers like Sapa Building Systems actively look at “responsible and ethical sourcing of raw materials and manufactured products, designing for deconstruction, minimising in-process waste and maximising reuse of building products at the end-of-life stage.” This is one of the reasons they are Hazlemere Commercial’s oldest and largest supplier, having been buying from them since 1985.
The International Aluminium Institute monitors the performance of the overwhelming majority of global bauxite mining and alumina smelting operations. 97% of these mines are subject to formal rehabilitation plans and agreements, with around 80% being restored to the natural landscape on completion.
Aluminium is smelted from bauxite, one of the world’s most abundant natural resources, and, since the inception of the smelting process, improvements in technology have reduced the energy required to produce aluminium from bauxite by almost 70%. Extensive use of renewable energy in the form of hydroelectric power has enabled the industry to deliver a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 32% since 1990, this despite a 54% increase in primary aluminium production over the same period.
Modern aluminium fenestration systems, like those used by Hazlemere Commercial, with their enhanced thermal break designs, provide excellent insulation levels that exceed current energy saving requirements as well as maximising natural light and solar gain potential.
Aluminium is already recognised as a valuable commodity by the construction industry and, as “proof” across Europe, according to Sapa an average of 95% of the aluminium in buildings is collected for recycling (Delft University Report). With a proven service life exceeding sixty years, a growing worldwide demand that enhances scrap values and an industry that continues to improve its environmental profile aluminium is truly a “green” metal” and a highly desirable building product as easier to transport and install than other far heavier metals.
In 2008 according to CAB’s website (Council for Aluminium in Building) 75% of all aluminium produced since the 1880s is still in use 70%-98% of aluminium used in today’s buildings will eventually be recycled. The fundamental basic properties of aluminium do not change after it is recycled – a unique property compared to other materials. It’s inherent strength enables larger glazed structures than UPVC that needs reinforcing with steel.
Mined from resources close to the surface 97% of all bauxite mines in the world today have formal, written rehabilitation procedures in place. Aluminium is therefore readily available, easy to extract, efficient to make and highly flexible as a building material as well as being able to be totally re-cycled……..you cannot get much more “green” than that!
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