How we are improving our environmental performance

Around a third of the world’s energy consumption is thought to come from buildings, both in the raw materials used in construction and in their operation. As a result, there has been an increased focus on improving environmental performance throughout the construction industry. Therefore, we continually review the aspects that distinguish us as a leader in the development of environmental and sustainable products. As a UK manufacturer, we are always striving to minimise our impact on the environment. Here are just a few of the things we are doing to improve our environmental performance. 

Aluminium 

Aluminium plays a huge role in the production of all our framed partition and door systems. This lightweight, durable material not only gives our products an attractive aesthetic but is also 100% recyclable. Our manufacturing facility near Bath UK fulfils all of our projects, meaning our products don’t have to travel as far. As a result, this helps us to further consider our environmental goals.  

At Optima, one of our core principles is respect. We ensure that we always treat our clients, colleagues, and the environment with respect. This means that at every opportunity we aim to develop our environmental processes. We are always looking for innovative new ways of working that will have a positive impact on the environment. 

One way we minimise our impact is through the use of recycled aluminium within our products. 75% of the aluminium we purchase is derived from recycled material. By using recycled materials in our products, we are helping to reduce our impact on the environment. This is because the production of secondary aluminium only uses 5% of the energy needed to produce primary metal. By using recycled materials, we are also extending the life cycle of aluminium, reusing, and repurposing this green building solution. Furthermore, aluminium can be melted down and recycled an infinite number of times without any loss of quality.  With this in mind, we know that our products provide a high-performance environmental solution.  

In addition, all the aluminium we buy is sourced in the UK meaning it has less distance to travel to our UK customers, further reducing our carbon footprint.  

Glass  

Equally important, this infinitely recyclable material offers a number of distinctive properties that allow us to create a versatile product range. From our fire rated Technishield line to our high-performance acoustic systems, glass provides an eco-friendly building solution.  

Both the toughened glass used in our doors and the laminated glass used in our partitions are fully recyclable. The toughened glass can be put back into glass manufacturing. Reintroducing toughened glass back into the production process reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The laminated glass can be remelted and repurposed into other glass-based products. With every tonne of recycled cullet glass used in manufacturing, it saves 1.2 tonnes of raw materials, reducing our need to reap the earth of raw materials.  

Furthermore, all the glass we buy is produced in the UK. Sourcing British produced materials reinforces our aims as a company to try to enhance our environmental performance at every opportunity.  

EPDs enhance our environmental performance 

Typically all the glass manufacturers we use provide Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) which enable us to assess and compare and improve the environmental performance of raw materials. Verified by an accredited third party, we can be sure that the data presented in an EPD is credible. Therefore, we know that all the glass we use in our products helps us to achieve our environmental goals.  

At Optima we always strive to be at the forefront of the sustainable and environmental agenda and that is why we also offer our own EPDs. Our product declarations allow us to understand our impact on the environment and highlight where we can improve. By utilising EPDs we can highlight our determination to develop innovative new products and processes which focus on enhancing our environmental performance.  

We recognise now more than ever the importance of understanding our impact on the environment and doing all we can to minimise it. Through both the continued recycling of our products as well as developing new sustainable processes and methods, we can move towards our goal of sustainable development. We take pride in being an ethical business and therefore we are committed to improving our environmental performance.