| Any
company can claim a commitment to delivering greener
products and employing greener working practices. Few
companies on the other hand actually demonstrate a green
commitment so strong and so evident that they have
subsequently been chosen to take part in a unique project to
showcase a more sustainable way of life. |
 |
| This
however is the case for Sandtoft Roof Tiles. The roof tile
manufacturer has a long track record of pushing the
boundaries for its industry, pioneering new and more
ecologically sensitive methods of working. |
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Demonstrating this, the company recently made the switch to
using 100% green electricity from renewable sources such as
wind farms and hydroelectric plants at all its sites. Making
this change entailed a 5% increase in energy costs for the
company but delivered an instant 25% reduction in CO2
emissions - significantly reducing the manufacturer’s carbon
footprint. |
|
Sandtoft rightly believes this
trade off is worthwhile and has actually absorbed the
increased cost, rather than pass it on to its customers.
|
|
Now this, and a number of other
green initiatives have led to the company becoming involved
in an innovative project being undertaken by the
Architectural Services department of Dundee City Council.
This department - which was one of the first local authority
departments to achieve IS014001 accreditation - is staunchly
committed to promoting a more sustainable approach to
building design and construction. As such, it is creating a
special demonstration house to showcase what can be done
from a sustainability perspective in terms of building
materials, practices and energy systems. |
|
The house itself is an existing
janitor’s house in the grounds of Whitfield Primary School.
Originally built in the late 1960s, it is typical of many
properties of the period in that it suffers from poor
detailing, cold bridging and generally poor thermal
performance. Dundee City Council’s Architectural Services
department plan to refurbish and extend the building and
deliberately chose an existing property rather than a new
build to show the ways in which current building stock can
be improved to meet new environmental challenges |
|
As part of this redevelopment,
the house will feature a wind turbine, geothermal underfloor
heating which will draw on 90m boreholes to draw heat from
the earth, a timberframe complete with insulation made from
recycled waste newspaper and plant based paints. In
addition, and to complement these features, Sandtoft is
supplying its innovative Cassius roof tiles. The architects
chose this tile over any other largely due to the
sustainable way in which Sandtoft operates. |
|
On top of this, Cassius offered
other notable benefits. The refurbishment’s original plans
called for the replacement of the eco-house’s existing flat
roof with a new pitched roof made from recycled slate.
However, slates of the required size and specification were
not readily available and were also expensive, precluding
their use. |
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Choosing Cassius in an Antique
Slate colour delivered the same aesthetics as slate, was
more affordable and could accommodate the specific demands
of the roof’s pitch. It also allowed the architects to
fulfil their original goal of using a natural material as
Cassius is made from high-quality alluvial Humber clay. |
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Upon completion, the eco-house
will be occupied for a period of 3 years by Solar Cities
Scotland – an organisation, based in Dundee, which aims to
promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. During this
time, the property and its eco-garden will also be open to
the general public, schools, universities, colleges and
construction industry professionals who will be able to
discover more about the sustainable alternatives used and
their benefits for the environment. |
|
Speaking of the eco-house and
Sandtoft’s involvement in the project, Bob Anderson, from
Dundee City Council’s Architectural Services department,
said: “We chose Sandtoft products because the company’s
commitment to sustainable working practices sat comfortably
with the overall aims the project. In addition, a further
benefit to Cassius beyond its inherent green credentials was
its aesthetics. It looks great. Plus our contractor has even
said it’s easy to use.” |
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Meanwhile, Nick Oldridge, Sales
and Marketing Director for Sandtoft Roof Tiles, said: “It’s
a real honour for us to be involved in such a high-profile
undertaking that aims to showcase better practice in terms
of sustainability. Greener products and greener methods of
production and operation have long been at the heart of
Sandtoft’s approach. It’s good that our commitment is
receiving wider recognition and that it will be used to
inspire others in the industry.” |
| For
further information on Sandtoft Roof Tiles Ltd. see
www.roofinfo.co.uk/sandtoft |
