Light-impact Materials and Zero Waste
| An article |
by EQUITONE |
EQUITONE has a shown history of going beyond the surface, pushing the boundaries of fibre cement in everything it does. Together with a global panel of architects, academics and industry experts, the brand has now developed a three-pronged action plan to fully close the loop on its materials. Key focus areas include designing for circularity, building for light-impact and radical collaboration
Sustainability Product Manager Maarten Milis: “We’re working on developing a new generation of fibre cement by shrinking our environmental impact throughout all processes from design to production. We’re targeting zero potable water use, zero landfill and low carbon emissions and are exploring ways to increase the recycled content of our materials. By 2030, our panels will have minimal impact on the environment and maximum durability, without any compromise on quality.”
Radical openness and collaboration
Very much aware of the scale of the challenge it faces, EQUITONE is openly sharing its progress and activelyseeking innovative partnerships with experts in the field – ranging from architects and academics to fabricators and installers.
“The building sector is responsible for 38% of all energy-related carbon emissions, over 35% of the EU’s total waste generation and half of all extracted materials”, says Maarten Milis. “Rather than talking our way out of it, we want to acknowledge the need for change and embrace it by strengthening the bridge between science and industry and connecting ideas, people, businesses and resources.”
The brand has organised several sustainability sessions with architects to identify the most urgent needs of its customers and define its new global sustainability commitment. “It appears that sustainability represents a topic that is as engaging as it is frustrating to architects. Even though most architects are passionate about building more responsible buildings, they are often held back by the fact that sustainable materials are either too expensive or by a lack of information” , explains Rolf Haberlah, Managing Director at Etex Germany Exteriors the manufacturer of EQUITONE in Germany.
Therefore, EQUITONE has now released a manifesto document which outlines its vision and goals for 2030, a series of interviews with the team behind the brand demonstrating the importance of internal and external collaboration, a tab on the website dedicated to all things environment, and material sustainability datasheetsoffering an overview of the most important sustainability-related facts and figures with links to more detailed reports like the respective EPDs. Rolf Haberlah concludes: “We want to relieve architects by cutting through the spaghetti of information and give them the tools to transform the industry, one building at a time.” The brand plans to provide regular updates to keep all interested parties and stakeholders in the loop.
