Low carbon aluminium sourced
Reynaers Aluminium has increased its sourcing of low carbon primary aluminium.
By purchasing aluminium produced using green energy sources, Reynaers said it will reduce its CO2 emissions by more than 25%.
A significant part of the carbon footprint of aluminium is related to the need for electricity in the production process, generating an average of 8.6kg CO2 per kilogram of aluminium. By using green electricity, this footprint can be reduced to 4kg, contributing to a 25% improvement in CO2 emissions across Reynaers Aluminium.
Richard Hall, managing director at Reynaers Aluminium UK, said: “When we consider sustainability in our business, there are several ways in which we can contribute to a better environment. Primarily, our windows, doors and facade systems help to improve the performance of buildings through their innovative design, having long-term benefits when it comes to environmental impact. Alongside this, we can go further to improve the embodied carbon of the materials we use, starting with the production of aluminium.
“Our decision to purchase low carbon primary aluminium has a big impact on our carbon footprint and demonstrates how we are continuing to place sustainability at the heart of each of our solutions. This is a huge step forward for us, and our industry, as we strive to continually improve our environmental impact in every way we can.”
As part of the aluminium production process, an electrolytic process is used to turn aluminium oxide into primary aluminium. By using green electricity sources at this stage, low carbon primary aluminium can be created, significantly improving energy consumption and the subsequent environmental impact.
Furthermore, aluminium can be infinitely recycled without losing its core characteristics such as strength and durability. While existing products have a long service life within buildings, it is thought that recycled aluminium covers around 40% of worldwide demand.