Independent assessment finds building products maker drop its carbon use by 20% in 2007

Building products manufacturer Hambleside Danelaw has slashed its carbon footprint by over 20% during 2007, according to an independent assessment.

Consultant dcarbon8 measured the carbon footprint of the company’s two factories at Daventry and Inverness which manufacture roofing and ventilation products and calculated that the total footprint for both sites had fallen from 887 to 698 tonnes CO². Total carbon footprint per employee, which takes into account commuting to and from work, also decreased.

By far the largest sources of emissions were energy for the factories and travel, although the assessment report acknowledges that the location of one of Hambleside’s factories in the Scottish Highlands offers a real challenge in terms of securing fewer emissions in relation to transportation.

Hambleside Danelaw Daventry factory

To tackle energy-associated emissions which fell at both facilities, the company has switched its electricity supplier to the Inverness factory to one that uses renewable energy sources.

Regarded as a sector market leader in recycling, Hambleside Danelaw has made significant progress in reducing waste from its manufacturing processes. Emissions associated with waste were a relatively small 22 tonnes CO² in 2007.

The group is working closely with dcarbon8 to constantly source further improvements in sustainability performance.

As a result of its efforts, it has gained Planet Positive certification which signifies that a business is making annual reductions to its carbon footprint and is offsetting the remainder by 110%.

Robin Jeffery, vice-chairman, said: “It is very encouraging to show specifiers and clients independent evidence that our environmental initiatives are paying off. As a continuation of our efforts, we are currently making great progress on recycling waste GRP and we expect to make further announcements in the run-up to our exhibiting at Ecobuild next March.”

Hambleside has also announced that its underfloor ventilator and airbricks range have been used at the £3.2m Wolseley Sustainable Building Centre at Leamington Spa, the UK’s first commercial showcase for sustainable products and construction methods.