We’ve already made huge progress towards our carbon neutral goal.
To date, we’ve invested £1.5 million in assets, training and other improvements and have made year-on-year progress since our first carbon footprint assessment in 2015.
In 2020, we will produce 3 times more energy on-site than we will import from the grid. Our electricity consumption is now 75% lower than it would have been had we made no improvements over the last 6 years.
All of our employees live within 3 miles of our factory, so everyone has the option to walk or cycle to work.
Aerial view of Crystal Doors’ 980kW biomass burner and 245kW solar system
Our carbon footprints (Scope 1 and 2)
2015-16
0
tonnes CO2e
—
2016-17
0
tonnes CO2e
0
%
reduction vs. 2015-16
2017-18
0
tonnes CO2e
0
%
reduction vs. 2015-16
2018-19
0
tonnes CO2e
0
%
reduction vs. 2015-16
2019-20 (expected)
0
tonnes CO2e
0
%
reduction vs. 2015-16
Timeline of achievements
Pre-2015
- Achieved Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) accreditation.
- Achieved zero waste to landfill status, with recycling rate of over 99% based on weight.
- Vans fitted with trackers to monitor fuel-efficient driving.
2015
- First annual carbon footprint assessment.
2016
- 980kW biomass burner installed, providing 100% of heating from factory wood waste.
- 100% cardboard and plastic recycling achieved.
- Installed power factor correction and harmonics unit, saving ~£4,000 a year in reduced electricity consumption.
2017
- Installed state-of-the-art, UK-first Ecogate smart dust extraction system, saving ~£12,600 a year in reduced electricity consumption.
- Began replacing factory lighting with energy efficient LEDs.
2018
- Purchase Nissan LEAF electric car and installed on-site charging.
- Achieved substantial criteria for ISO 14001 Environmental Management and began working towards PAS 2060 Carbon Neutrality specification.
2019
- Installed first phase of solar PV rooftop array with 105kW generating capacity, saving ~£7,000 a year in electricity costs.
- Installed energy efficient inverter compressor, saving ~£2,000 a year in reduced electricity consumption.
- Upgraded vane vacuum pumps to more efficient claw pumps, saving ~£1,000 a year in reduced electricity consumption.
- All employees trained in carbon literacy.
- Joined City of Trees’ 100 Trees Club.
- Banned flying on business.
- MD Richard Hagan becomes organiser of Rochdale Circular Economy Club and is described as “one of the UK’s greenest entrepreneurs”.
- Finalist in the Sustainable Manufacturing category at The Manufacturer 2019 MX Awards alongside global heavyweights like BMW, Ibstock Brick and pladis.
- Recognised by Green Party MEP Gina Dowding as a best practice example of industry for a “Green New Deal in the North West”.
2020
- Declared climate emergency, committing to carbon neutrality by 2022.
- Installed second phase of rooftop solar PV, filling remaining roof space and achieving a total capacity of 246kW, achieving a total saving of ~£22,400 a year in electricity costs.
- Achieved 100% LED lighting with intelligent sensors throughout building, saving ~£5,000 a year in reduced electricity consumption.
- Achieved Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A+, becoming one of just ~500 commercial buildings to be certified ‘carbon positive’.
