The construction industry is going through a period of monumental change. Good change.
Change in the way buildings are designed, change in the way they are built, and a change in attitude in terms of embracing a sustainable agenda.
Here at Metek, we are committed to being mindful of and protecting the
environment in which we operate, by pursuing a responsible and proactive approach to improving our environmental performance across all our operations.
In this document, we have set out our pathway to change and examined the inherent, sustainable qualities of steel and why it should be at the forefront of the industry’s journey to net zero.
We committed to ‘doing’ rather than ‘talking’ when it comes to our sustainability goals, we want to create a better infrastructure for the future throughout all our operations. Light steel frame construction is intrinsically more sustainable than other methods and so it is critical that this is reflected across the board for us.
Hailed as one of the most sustainable modern methods of construction, we have been at the forefront of the light steel frame revolution for over 20 years. Based largely on the offsite nature of the construction process, LSF reduces the embodied carbon in the building fabric by around 20% and transport, labour and site waste are reduced dramatically.
With sustainability at the heart of both our product and process, our entire team are working towards eliminating onsite waste entirely along with elevating the levels of thermal insulation and air tightness within our steel frame system, whilst continuing to drive productivity and speed of construction.
We are continuing to contribute to sustainable development by balancing our business goals with environmental considerations and encourage our supply chain, customers and partners to support us in this effort.
“Our lightweight Metek system already allows for hugely reduced foundation loads and our production method, which involves rolling components to lengths, means we produce minimal manufacturing waste. With net zero at the forefront of construction right now, we are proud to be playing our part actively by driving our company wide sustainability policy, investing in innovation to further increase the efficiency of our products and embracing renewable energy technologies to help us on our journey from good to great.”
Oliver Rogan – Managing Director
As LSF moves into the mainstream, we examine the key benefits of this reliable, durable and sustainable method of construction….
Enhanced Build Speed
Which delivers reduced build times and reduces embodied carbon
High Levels of Recycled Content
Beats the industry norm of 40% by delivering up to 70% recycled content
Minimises Waste
Construction site waste is virtually eliminated, and production can recycle off-cuts & drill swarf into new, useable components
Highly Durable
Light steel walls, floors and all warm frame applications have an estimated design life of up to 250 years
Inherently Lightweight
Significantly reduces foundations – around 70% less than traditional concrete and masonry methods
Highly Recyclable
Steel is one of the most recycled materials on earth, with a potential re-use factor of over 90%
Reduced Transportation
Onsite deliveries are reduced by around 60%, minimising environmental impact and pollution
Flexible Over Time
Lightweight structures are designed for reuse as they can be modified, extended and repurposed as they can be totally disassembled
In keeping with our ‘action rather than words’ philosophy, we have driven a number of impactful environmental projects across the business…
Powered By The Sun!
Our investment in solar energy at our manufacturing hub.
We have invested in a major solar installation at our manufacturing facility, Advanced Cold Formed Sections Ltd (ACFS) which is based in Wolverhampton.
The move, which is part of our wide-ranging carbon reduction strategy, means that the new solar panels deliver up to 82% of the energy needed to power the production hub.
The works consisted of the installation of 535 solar modules which were installed across units A and E of the factory site. The installation was completed in 4 weeks with no disruption to company operations.
The system is estimated to produce 245 KW/h, which will enable us to save 97.97 tonnes of CO2 emissions across Unit A this year alone. This equates to 556,489 miles of driving – a staggering 22.5 times around the world!
Along with our partners, WWA, we have developed the highly innovative Solar Tree product, which has been developed to support the growing need for sustainable and financially viable energy generation whilst supporting your business needs.
This unique system will enable businesses to transition to becoming a low-carbon operation and support the goal of a Carbon Neutral UK by 2050. The solar trees have been designed with high-quality materials enhancing the arrival experience. The system not only delivers integrated Electric Vehicle charge-points but generates additional green energy to power the needs of the business.
We are working with globally accredited finance partners to simplify the funding process through a loan or hire purchase arrangement. This enables businesses to take advantage of the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) to further offset capital costs.
The system can be designed to various car park layouts at large or small scale and can therefore greatly contribute towards corporate carbon savings targets whilst underpinning wider business requirements.
