With over three generations of developing lightweight, long-lasting, high-end cladding materials behind them, fibre cement facade specialist Equitone is making steady progress on its journey to circularity with two clear ambitions for 2030: light impact materials and zero waste to landfill.
Pushing the boundaries of fibre cement
Having consistently pushed the boundaries of fibre cement, Equitone has developed a three-pronged action plan in collaboration with a global panel of architects, academics and industry experts to fully close the loop on its materials. Key focus areas include designing for circularity, building for light impact and radical collaboration for lasting change.
“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, 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 compromising quality,” Equitone’s sustainability product manager Maarten Milis said.
Radical openness and collaboration
Aware of the scale of the challenge, Equitone is openly sharing its progress and actively seeking 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,” Milis explained. “Rather than talk our way out of it, we 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.”
Equitone’s plan of action
To facilitate this, Equitone has released a manifesto outlining its vision and goals for 2030, complemented by a series of interviews with brand team members demonstrating the importance of internal and external collaboration. The brand website has been updated with a tab dedicated to all things environment, including material sustainability datasheets that offer an overview of the most important sustainability information, and provide links to more detailed reports, such as the respective material EPDs.
“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,” Milis added.
For more information on the initiative, please visit www.equitone.com/environment.
