Responsible corporate thinking to meet climate targets

Companies have a great responsibility and a key role to play in reducing their carbon footprint. At the Magyar Környezettudatos Építés Egyesület (HuGBC) conference in November, the Zero Carbon 2050 Roadmap was presented, the implementation of which in the construction economy is one of the key steps towards achieving global climate goals. As part of a European initiative, Hungary, like 11 other countries, has developed a roadmap for professional target groups – designers, architects, building material manufacturers, property developers, tenants, operators, financing banks, consulting firms, civil organisations, municipal and state regulatory bodies – to accelerate decarbonisation processes.

Towards carbon neutrality

Increasing energy efficiency and significantly increasing the share of renewable energy is a cornerstone of the roadmap. The aim is to gradually reduce the use of fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. In addition to cooperation, the decarbonisation toolbox includes technological innovation and cleaner production, construction and operation methods. The circular economy also needs to move forward, with a focus on renovating buildings, reusing building materials, recycling waste and extending the life of materials.

Green solutions from manufacturing to energy efficient solutions

After the energy and agricultural sectors, the construction industry has one of the highest ecological footprints. One of Europe's leading ventilation technology companies, Lindab, has a wealth of valuable experience in implementing decarbonisation efforts, which focus on the following areas, among others.

• Greener raw materials are used in production. The company also offers products made from recycled materials.
• Their factories seek to maximise the use of renewable energy.
• They develop energy efficient ventilation systems and solutions.
• Their mechanical and ventilation solutions help to achieve BREAM, LEAD and WELL green building ratings and certifications.
• Their innovation and research programmes aim to develop energy efficient and zero-emission systems.

Alternative raw material

Lindab was the first in the world to produce fossil-free steel air ducts, which were delivered as a test for a Swedish project. The company then added recycled steel products, whichare made from 75 percent recycled material, reducing the environmental impact in terms of carbon emissions by up to 62 percent. This material is already available in Hungary, so for those who want to build more sustainable buildings, the solution is there.

The company uses energy-efficient technologies for steel processing, thus minimising carbon emissions from its manufacturing processes. Lindab has adopted a similar approach to reducing the environmental impact of its transport and logistics activities.

EPD, for responsible decision support

The main raw material used in Lindab products is steel, which at the end of its long life cycle can be easily and extensively recycled, minimising waste.

The company provides EPDs, or environmental product declarations, for an increasing number of its ventilation products. It is expected that by early 2025, the domestically manufactured Eurovent, which is often used in projects and is also certified, will also be available. Lindab Safe circular air duct system, which is manufactured domestically and often used in projects, will also have an EPD available for several of its components. The Lindab is at the forefront of this effort among domestic air technology manufacturers.

The EPD provides investors and all actors in the construction industry with an accurate picture of the environmental impact of the materials used in the building. In this way, Lindab helps stakeholders to achieve better indoor comfort with less environmental impact by choosing a sustainable product.

In Northern Europe, in France, it is already common practice to request and check EPDs for construction projects. Such efforts are also expected to become increasingly important in our country. This is supported by the ESG law, which is an important milestone on the road to sustainability.

Lifecycle transparency

EPD provides tracking throughout the life cycle of construction materials, from raw material supply to the demolition and waste management phase. The EPD quantifies the environmental impact of a building material - in addition to its carbon footprint, the EPD quantifies a number of other impacts - and helps to design buildings with the lowest possible installed carbon footprint. The operational carbon footprint of buildings is also affected by the building materials used, for example in terms of energy use, maintenance and repair needs.

Smart solutions to reduce waste

As building services account for a large proportion of a building’s energy consumption, the choice of systems used during construction is crucial. An excellent energy-efficient option is is the installation of demand-controlled ventilation systems. Smart solutions can further reduce the energy consumption of a building’s ventilation system. By installing sensors and controllers, the system does not ventilate the entire building, but only those rooms where people are actually present.

The demand-controlled system, based on the number of occupants and the amount of air blown in, was tested in the Lindab office in Germany and achieved energy savings of nearly 70 percent by providing better indoor comfort.

Certified buildings are a win-win for investors, employers and employees

For investors and property managers, the certification of a building has become an increasingly important aspect.Since 2014, WELL certification has been available, preceded by a monitoring process. This involves an assessment of the building's indoor disinfection and cleaning facilities, air and water quality, acoustics, among other things. The basic conditions for a healthy working environment are reviewed annually. Research by the International WELL Building Institute has shown that the quality of the indoor environment is a determinant of workers' cognitive performance. It also significantly reduced the number of illnesses caused by sick building syndrome.

Tracing the buildings

Demolishing a building and handling the demolition materials is as big a task as building it. Using a high percentage of reusable or recyclable building materials in the design can also reduce the environmental impact. Significant developments are underway in this area, with steel products currently still having the greatest potential for recycling.

More and more indicators point the way to responsible decision-making

In addition to investors, ordinary people are also increasingly interested in knowing more about the impact of a company's activities on the environment and society, beyond its economic results. The regulatory system also aims to make sustainability transparent. In Western Europe, so-called ESG indicators now carry as much weight in investor decisions as the financial balance sheet.