Sustainability in Construction | SFS UK
As a responsible business, we're concerned with achieving sustainable success together.
What does that mean to us at SFS UK? It means working greener and smarter. Being a partner you can relay on to deliver the right solutions, the first time, that are guaranteed to perform - helping you minimise waste and build faster, more efficiently and with reduced impact on the environment.
Throughout our UK sites, we have been committed to year-on-year improvements in our operational energy efficiency. One of our initiatives is focusing on reducing our carbon footprint to protect our environment and secure the future of our industry. We do this by not sending waste to landfill, and recycling high quality materials. We have saved 47.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide.Â
Take a look at some of the things we have been working on and the positive impact it’s had.Â
Having a Positive Impact
At our Leeds and Welwyn Garden City warehouses, we have replaced our lighting systems with energy efficient LED's and PIR sensors to only turn on when movement is detected. The LED lighting system has accumulated to save around 43% in electricity consumption since they were installed at both sites.
We have replaced our heating system with a suspended gas system and destratification fans that use less then half the gas of the old system. With both additions combined, we have accumulated total energy savings of 56% in gas reduction since new systems have been installed!
Energy saved so far...
Environmental Impact
Here at Leeds, we’ve revised our company vehicle policy to encourage and support choosing electric‑hybrid over petrol or diesel models, reducing emissions and boosting eco-friendly travel. To that end, twelve 22 kW EV charge points have been installed on site, alongside four for customers. Staff may also use them for private vehicles to promote greener driving.
Solar Panels at Leeds
At our Leeds site we’ve installed 800 solar panels, providing 271 000 kWh of self generated energy per year and preventing over 65 tonnes of CO₂ entering atmosphere. In the first two months since installation, they generated 45 000 kWh, equivalent to driving 300 000 miles, charging 14 million mobiles or six round‑trip flights between London and Sydney.
Tree Planting
Our Leeds office rolled their sleeves up and got their hands dirty planting 500 trees as part of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme, with the plan to continue planting a thousand trees. Their contribution towards securing a greener future is invaluable and we're grateful to have a team that cares about making a positive impact.
Waste Management
Since 2017, SFS Group Fastening Technology Ltd has managed all waste services to reduce waste, making zero waste to landfill our standard. We installed high‑capacity cardboard shredders to remove plastic from packaging in our operations, diverting cardboard from disposal and generating cushioning material that replaces plastic shrink wrap.
Sustainable construction demands high precision throughout the building process, strategic long‑term planning, and efficient workflows. Project Builder is a powerful digital calculation and specification tool that helps teams choose optimal systems and solutions faster and more easily, cutting costs and lowering environmental impact.
At SFS, we go beyond fixings and fasteners, expanding our expertise across the building envelope and delivering innovative solutions as we’ve grown. From buildings and businesses to people and planet, our commitment to securing what matters remains constant. We now invite you to work with us in securing a more sustainable future together.
At SFS we’re enhancing the sustainability of our NVELOPE® aluminium brackets by using Alloy 6005 produced with Carbon 4 technology and joining the CAB closed‑loop recycling scheme, which cuts resource use and carbon emissions across the product’s lifecycle.
Implementing sustainability in building materials
Construction projects are subject to rigorous testing to gauge efficiency and performance. SFS systems, such as the thermal-boosting solutions in the building façade, are designed to help you meet their sustainable standards.
Take thermal bridging on flat roofs, for example, our sleeve and fasteners option for securing our Horizontal Lifeline System provides a fast, efficient, and thermally broken solution to maximise the thermal efficiency of the roof.Â
All of this helps improve the thermal performance of your building, with a measurable impact on U-value ratings, while minimising the long-term need for repair and replacement and therefore, the long-term environmental impact of your building.
The Cutting Service optimise your requirements, selecting the most economical profile lengths to satisfy your order. Our high-tech process continues using state-of-the-art cutting machinery ensuring the profiles are precision cut to the length required. This new service will speed up installation on site. Save you time, money and minimise waste. It's the smarter way to operate.
We’re delighted SFS NVELOPE has been awarded an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for our bracket and rail products, recognising our commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. EPDs provide environmental impact and performance data across our full product lifecycle, simplifying how we demonstrate and communicate our sustainability credentials.
FAQ's
1. What is sustainable construction?
Sustainable construction refers to the practice of designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining buildings and infrastructure in a way that minimises their impact on the environment, while also promoting economic and social sustainability.
2. What are the benefits of sustainable construction?
The benefits of sustainable construction include: reduced environmental impact, improved energy and water efficiency, enhanced occupant health and wellbeing, improved building durability and resilience, and long-term economic and social benefits.
3. What is a Green Building and how is it different from sustainable construction?
Green Building refers to the practice of designing and constructing buildings in a way that minimises their impact on the environment and promotes occupant health and wellbeing. Sustainable construction is a broader concept that encompasses green building practices, as well as other practices that promote economic and social sustainability.
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Sustainability in Construction | SFS UK
As a responsible business, we're concerned with achieving sustainable success together.
What does that mean to us at SFS UK? It means working greener and smarter. Being a partner you can relay on to deliver the right solutions, the first time, that are guaranteed to perform - helping you minimise waste and build faster, more efficiently and with reduced impact on the environment.
Throughout our UK sites, we have been committed to year-on-year improvements in our operational energy efficiency. One of our initiatives is focusing on reducing our carbon footprint to protect our environment and secure the future of our industry. We do this by not sending waste to landfill, and recycling high quality materials. We have saved 47.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide.Â
Take a look at some of the things we have been working on and the positive impact it’s had.Â
Having a Positive Impact
At our Leeds and Welwyn Garden City warehouses, we have replaced our lighting systems with energy efficient LED's and PIR sensors to only turn on when movement is detected. The LED lighting system has accumulated to save around 43% in electricity consumption since they were installed at both sites.
We have replaced our heating system with a suspended gas system and destratification fans that use less then half the gas of the old system. With both additions combined, we have accumulated total energy savings of 56% in gas reduction since new systems have been installed!
Energy saved so far...
Environmental Impact
Here at Leeds, we’ve revised our company vehicle policy to encourage and support choosing electric‑hybrid over petrol or diesel models, reducing emissions and boosting eco-friendly travel. To that end, twelve 22 kW EV charge points have been installed on site, alongside four for customers. Staff may also use them for private vehicles to promote greener driving.
Solar Panels at Leeds
At our Leeds site we’ve installed 800 solar panels, providing 271 000 kWh of self generated energy per year and preventing over 65 tonnes of CO₂ entering atmosphere. In the first two months since installation, they generated 45 000 kWh, equivalent to driving 300 000 miles, charging 14 million mobiles or six round‑trip flights between London and Sydney.
Tree Planting
Our Leeds office rolled their sleeves up and got their hands dirty planting 500 trees as part of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme, with the plan to continue planting a thousand trees. Their contribution towards securing a greener future is invaluable and we're grateful to have a team that cares about making a positive impact.
Waste Management
Since 2017, SFS Group Fastening Technology Ltd has managed all waste services to reduce waste, making zero waste to landfill our standard. We installed high‑capacity cardboard shredders to remove plastic from packaging in our operations, diverting cardboard from disposal and generating cushioning material that replaces plastic shrink wrap.
Sustainable construction demands high precision throughout the building process, strategic long‑term planning, and efficient workflows. Project Builder is a powerful digital calculation and specification tool that helps teams choose optimal systems and solutions faster and more easily, cutting costs and lowering environmental impact.
At SFS, we go beyond fixings and fasteners, expanding our expertise across the building envelope and delivering innovative solutions as we’ve grown. From buildings and businesses to people and planet, our commitment to securing what matters remains constant. We now invite you to work with us in securing a more sustainable future together.
At SFS we’re enhancing the sustainability of our NVELOPE® aluminium brackets by using Alloy 6005 produced with Carbon 4 technology and joining the CAB closed‑loop recycling scheme, which cuts resource use and carbon emissions across the product’s lifecycle.
Implementing sustainability in building materials
Construction projects are subject to rigorous testing to gauge efficiency and performance. SFS systems, such as the thermal-boosting solutions in the building façade, are designed to help you meet their sustainable standards.
Take thermal bridging on flat roofs, for example, our sleeve and fasteners option for securing our Horizontal Lifeline System provides a fast, efficient, and thermally broken solution to maximise the thermal efficiency of the roof.Â
All of this helps improve the thermal performance of your building, with a measurable impact on U-value ratings, while minimising the long-term need for repair and replacement and therefore, the long-term environmental impact of your building.
The Cutting Service optimise your requirements, selecting the most economical profile lengths to satisfy your order. Our high-tech process continues using state-of-the-art cutting machinery ensuring the profiles are precision cut to the length required. This new service will speed up installation on site. Save you time, money and minimise waste. It's the smarter way to operate.
We’re delighted SFS NVELOPE has been awarded an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for our bracket and rail products, recognising our commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. EPDs provide environmental impact and performance data across our full product lifecycle, simplifying how we demonstrate and communicate our sustainability credentials.
FAQ's
1. What is sustainable construction?
Sustainable construction refers to the practice of designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining buildings and infrastructure in a way that minimises their impact on the environment, while also promoting economic and social sustainability.
2. What are the benefits of sustainable construction?
The benefits of sustainable construction include: reduced environmental impact, improved energy and water efficiency, enhanced occupant health and wellbeing, improved building durability and resilience, and long-term economic and social benefits.
3. What is a Green Building and how is it different from sustainable construction?
Green Building refers to the practice of designing and constructing buildings in a way that minimises their impact on the environment and promotes occupant health and wellbeing. Sustainable construction is a broader concept that encompasses green building practices, as well as other practices that promote economic and social sustainability.