Made from sustainable products to meet the needs of a sustainable future

As part of the assessment to be granted a Royal Warrant, a company must clearly demonstrate its commitment to both sustainable practices and products. Achieving sustainability requires optimal management of practices, processes and people. Sourcing materials to be incorporated into its products is a vital ingredient in the mix. As knowledge within the industry deepens and pressure from legislation increases to meet energy efficiency targets, the sustainability of building products is becoming an important element in procurement decisions. Achieving a sustainable product starts right at the beginning of the value chain. An important factor within this chain is the distances between supplier and purchaser. Selectaglaze wherever possible use local suppliers. Sourcing materials locally upstream (supply chain), dramatically reduces the carbon footprint of the final product. In addition to local sourcing, care is taken wherever possible to source materials from companies that work to the requirements of ISO 14001 certification. Aluminium extrusions are used to form the secondary glazing frames. Aluminium is the material of choice for Selectaglaze due to its attributes of; longevity, light weight, strength and sustainability. Research undertaken by the IAI (International Aluminium Institute), has found that 1/3 of European Union aluminium is recycled. As recycled aluminium is 95% less carbon intensive than to produce it from raw materials, sourcing European aluminium lowers the ultimate carbon footprint of the metal. Aluminium does not degrade during the remelting process, making it the phoenix of metals! Potentially, aluminium’s lifespan is infinite. A flow process showing the global aluminium mass flow which is a sustainable product that Selectaglaze secondary glazing is made from. Global aluminium mass flow 2020: Values in millions of metric tonnes Selectaglaze uses Aluminium 6063 as the base constituent of its secondary glazing frames. This high grade aluminium combines strength, malleability and smooth finishes, resulting in strong, beautifully finished, hardwearing windows. Aluminium is ordered in lengths as long as is practical, to minimise offcut wastage. During secondary glazing production, aluminium extrusions need to be anodised and coated, how this is done can impact on the overall carbon cost of creating an individual treatment. For over 30 years Selectaglaze has used Barley Chalu for finishing its aluminium sections. Barley Chalu is the only company in the UK to hold both a Qualanod and Qualicoat licence. They strive towards sustainability and use products and processes which minimise their environmental impact. Again, the ethical nature and quality of Barley Chalu as a company reduces the final carbon footprint of the Selectaglaze’s end product. Timber is used in the installation of secondary glazing to form a fixing ground and in some cases a frame in which it will sit. Its versatility facilitates optimal fit to even the most challengingly shaped openings. All wood used within treatments is certified to ‘Responsible Forest Management’ standards. This guarantees that the final product only contains wood that is sustainably procured. Timber is processed from 4.2m lengths, as experience has shown that this size maximises usage and reduces waste. Chain of custody for Selectaglaze components which make up the bespoke secondary glazing Individual chain of custody of each piece of timber used in secondary glazing treatments During the production of the secondary glazing, the SHEQ (Safety Health Environmental and Quality) team ensures that all processes are carried out safely and with as little impact on the environment as possible. All waste products produced in the manufacturing processes are ethically recycled. The method and type of transportation is managed to keep the environmental impact to a minimum. Central to the sustainability ethos of Selectaglaze is its energy efficiency product. Secondary glazing is a product that dramatically improves the thermal envelope of existing buildings, especially those Listed or in conservation areas. Recent research has shown that conduction and radiation through a window as a whole can be reduced by over 60% by using secondary glazing with a low emissivity (low-E) glass. It is estimated that existing buildings account for 45% of all carbon emissions. There has been a whole raft of measures taken by government in an attempt to tackle energy efficiency and sustainability within this sector. The government is legally bound to achieve reductions in carbon emissions as set out in internationally ratified carbon budgets. Initiatives such as Sadiq Khan’s £500m fund for installing energy efficiency measures in buildings reflects the growing importance of this issue. Selectaglaze strives as a company to support sustainability both within its production, administration and final product. The product is guaranteed to be the best in its field and carries ISO 9001 accreditation, helping to reduce carbon emissions within existing buildings for many generations to come.

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