April 2022

Sustainability
CREATING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Neal Harper, Managing Director of Sustainium, discusses the reasons why installers must
promote more sustainable products and processes to safeguard their future.
“The sooner installers show they are
totally committed to using renewable
energy and recyclable resources and
materials, the better placed they will
be to win work”
Inset: Neal Harper is the Managing Director of Sustainium Group
Sustainability
is becoming
more important
for all companies across
all industries, but it’s fair to
say that, as a big user of natural
resources by its very nature, there is huge
pressure on the construction sector to reduce its
environmental impact.
From energy usage to emissions, the construction
industry has a huge impact on the environment,
accounting for 36% of worldwide energy usage,
and 40% of CO 2 emissions.
Windows and doors play an integral role in
creating sustainable buildings, with fabrication
and shipping materials significantly impacting
global carbon emissions, so sustainability in the
glazing industry is more important than ever.
And with high levels of thermal efficiency
scheduled for
2025 to meet
net-zero targets
by 2050, this will
continue to be the case.
At Sustainium, for example, we
believe that homeowners deserve innovative,
quality products and wonderful customer
experience, and we believe our companies
should provide this in an ethical and sustainable
way – and all installers and home improvement
companies must think the same way.
Sustainability is now a business approach
to creating long-term value by taking into
consideration how it operates in the ecological,
social and economic environment.
Sustainability is built on the assumption that
developing such strategies foster company
longevity and a sustainability strategy is
necessary to be competitive both today and in the
future.
As the expectations on corporate responsibility
increase, installers must think differently and
recognise the need to act on sustainability and
embrace it.
The right products
Consumers are becoming more aware of the
role they must play in supporting the planet
and the type of product used, and whether it
is sustainable is now a concern, so being able
to install energy efficient A rated windows and
doors and replacing old polycarbonate roofs on
conservatories to new thermally efficient solid
versions will help customers reduce energy costs
and their own carbon footprints.
Each window and door material has its own
sustainable benefits; FSC certified timber is
72 T I APRIL 2022 PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST