Environmental profiling

Kingspan Insulated Panels was the first, and still is the only manufacturer in the metal roof and wall cladding industry to go through the process with the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to identify and assess the environmental profile of their panels from ‘cradle to grave’. The BRE analyses data across a range of environmental issues, from cradle (inception and raw materials) to grave (disposal) and then gives one ‘ecopoint’ score. Kingspan also works with the BRE to measure the environmental profile of its key Insulation Board products.

The BRE environmental profiling methodology, which is ISO 14041 compliant, was originally developed through a UK Government funded project to enable robust and reliable comparison between different construction systems. To date Certified Environmental profiles have been awarded to Kingspan’s key Insulated Panel and Insulation Board products, and work is ongoing to extend certification to all key products. The ratings achieved are based on a detailed 60 year cradle to grave assessment of the environmental impact of the product. “A” rated products gain additional credits for buildings assessed by environmental assessment methodologies such as BREEAM. Such a rating will enable customers of Kingspan to compare the environmental impact of Kingspan’s products with alternatives, and it will allow Kingspan to identify areas of potential improvement. Indeed, since Kingspan’s Insulation Boards business started this process in 2002 it has seen the score on its Kingspan Therma range of products improve by 43% and is now an “A” rated product.

Certificated Environmental profiles are reviewed and verified through detailed auditing on an annual basis to ensure that information is both valid and up-to-date, and is recalculated every three years. An Environmental profile certificated by BRE Certification is prepared according to Scheme Document SD028.

The 2008 Green Guide to Specification is also used within the wider BREEAM scheme, which has recently been updated, and A+ rated products such as Kingspan’s RW and AWP range can help the building owner gain significant points under the 2008 updated BREEAM scheme.

Kingspan’s Trapezoidal Roof & Wall (RW) and Architectural Wall Panel (AWP) systems, (as samples of the full product range) have achieved the new A+ top rating in the BRE’s highly respected 2008 Green Guide to Specification.

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