July 2024

This week (6-12 July 2024) marks Net Zero Week, the UK’s official national awareness week focused on uniting people to take action towards achieving net zero carbon emissions.

So, we’re reflecting on our achievements and initiatives in our journey towards net zero.

🌳 CARBON OFFSETTING AND CARBON NEUTRAL CERTIFICATION

We’re proud to be a Carbon Neutral Business, recently certified by Carbon Neutral Britain™.

This means our company’s emissions over the past 12 months have been calculated by a third party using the ISO 14064 and GHG Emissions Protocol Accounting Standard and we have offset our emissions via the Climate Fund™ Portfolio of verified carbon offsetting projects around the world.

These projects not only mitigate our carbon footprint but also promote education, employment, clean water, and positive impacts on local wildlife and ecology in developing countries.

🏢 NEW ECO FACILITY

A major milestone this past year was the construction and move to our new purpose-built low-carbon office, warehouse space, and training & demo facility: Kriekels House.

As technology innovators designing products for renewable energy systems, it was essential that our facility aligns with our ethos of sustainability, creativity, and social responsibility. Our products are geared towards a sustainable future, and now our UK home reflects that commitment.

To minimise our building’s carbon footprint, we’ve implemented:

• Air source and ground source heat pumps for clean energy heating and cooling.
• Solar panels generating power to meet our electricity demand.
• The highest level of insulation for airtightness and reduced energy demand.
• Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system provides clean, fresh air, reduces heat loss and improves energy efficiency.
• Energy-efficient LED lighting throughout.
• Boiling water taps to reduce energy consumption and water wastage.

Read more about Kriekels House here.

♻️ REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

We promote a paperless office environment and minimise printing. When we do, we use recycled papers and letterheads, which are further recyclable up to seven times.

Recycling bins are located throughout our building, and waste sorting by an external provider ensures minimal landfill usage.

Our products themselves are designed to last; we’re so confident in their durability that we offer a 30-year guarantee on the main part, the heat exchanger. Additionally, at the end of their lifecycle, all products are fully recyclable.

Our packaging is primarily recyclable cardboard. Where plastic has to be used to wrap certain elements, we use recycled plastic and our factory in Belgium continues working towards plastic reduction.

As part of a transition to a circular economy, we comply with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations, reporting our packaging data to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) annually.

🚘 DRIVING CLEANER JOURNEYS

Our regional sales and technical support teams are field-based, spending their days visiting customers and project sites. Efficiency is key, so our company car policy prioritises hybrid or electric vehicles whenever possible. Teams are encouraged to optimise routes to reduce fuel/energy usage, aiming to visit multiple customers in one trip.

At our offices, we provide 6 electric charging points using solar-generated energy, and we encourage staff with hybrid and electric vehicles to install home charging points. Many of our team are able to walk to work and we also encourage cycling, offering plenty of storage space on site.

🤝 PARTENRSHIPS AND INDUSTRY INFLUENCE

In addition to offering HVAC professional training at Kriekels House, we’re opening our doors to the local community, inviting organisations, educators, schools, and colleges to learn about renewable energy technologies.

By demystifying heat pumps and other renewable solutions, we aim to inspire community members to consider their carbon footprint. And our aspiration is to play a key role in inspiring the next generation of HVAC engineers to help design the net zero buildings of the future.

📖 CLEANER MARKETING

We prioritise digital marketing techniques as much as possible and only print collateral in small runs using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper for customers who prefer the traditional approach.

Our business cards and collateral are fully recyclable, avoiding matt laminate coatings and special finishes. Additionally, we offer seed paper contact cards that can be planted to grow wildflowers.

Our promotional items are crafted from natural bamboo and recycled paper, avoiding plastic use.

🏅 CHAMPIONING SUSTAINABILITY

We have a dedicated sustainability champion who helps drive environmentally responsible practices and encourages us be as eco-conscious as we can be in everything we do.

They contribute ideas to reduce our environmental impact and run eco-awareness sessions for staff on various sustainability topics, from consumption reduction to the environmental impact of our food choices.

🌍 REALISING OUR VISION

Our vision is to ‘rejuvenate our planet through eco-design’. By continuing to adopt more sustainable practices, sharing our eco facility with the community, and designing future-proof products for renewable energy systems, we’re proud to take steps towards a healthier, more sustainable future, and help accelerate our journey to net zero.

📞 GET IN TOUCH

Interested in visiting Kriekels House or learning more about our energy-efficient products? Please contact us. We’d love to hear from you!