As Australia recovers from its latest heat wave and braces itself against ‘catastrophic’ fire conditions, it is difficult to ignore the continued impact of global warming. Last month it was declared by the World Meterological Organisation (WMO) that 2016 was officially the hottest year on record, with particularly dangerous conditions in Australia where temperatures are 8°C hotter than the world average.
Every industry has a part to play in climate change and the construction industry is no different. In a 2011 report on construction and demolition waste, it was reported that ‘buildings and their users are responsible for almost a quarter of Australia’s greenhouse emissions’, of which ‘choice of materials and design principles has a significant […] impact on the energy required to construct a building.’
Approximately 42 per cent of solid waste in Australia is generated in the building industry. Waste in the construction industry affects everyone and the importance of re-using and recycling this waste cannot be emphasised enough.
Although sustainability is a broad term and its use often invokes accusations of green washing, its significance in the construction sector cannot be underestimated. Building professionals must search for workable solutions to combat the disastrous effects that waste from the industry is causing.
INNOWOOD, the manufacturer of sustainable composite timber alternatives, is planning to further reduce it’s already carbon neutral footprint by introducing a Recycling and Replacement Service.
In designing a Recycling and Replacement Service, Innowood is seeking to bring its reuse and recycling approach full circle. Innowood’s material recycling facility underlines its commitment to the environment and product stewardship. The company’s goal is to make it easy for customers to dispose of Innowood products in an environmentally conscious manner. As wood waste constitutes a major part of its products composition, returning the off cuts during construction and the waste at the end of the products life cycle means that it can be recycled back into creating new Innowood profiles.
Innowood’s products are 100 per cent recyclable. Its product systems are energy efficient, cost effective and durable. By using Innowood products, the energy efficiency of a building can be increased and its carbon footprint reduced.
