Our innovations are defined by our values of challenge.create.care. Despite the challenges of 2020 we continue to work on exciting new solutions that will reshape the market and support our commitment to better environmental sustainability.
BUILDING BETTER WITH LEVEL(S)
Our green building specialists have been contributing expertise to a newly launched European Commission sustainability tool known as Level(s) that aims to reshape Europe’s built environment. Our Experience Center in Škofja Loka, Slovenia has been providing research to the tool which assesses the environmental impact of buildings throughout their life cycle and presents the information in an accessible format. In addition, our sustainability experts provided feedback and insight from the initial pilot stage of Level(s) until its successful launch in October 2020. Their input also led to the inclusion of acoustic and noise protection indicators.
Saša Bavec, our Managing Director Systems Division and Group Marketing Director, on innovation says: “Our award-winning ECOSE Technology® — a revolutionary binder with no added formaldehyde — has been very successful in Glass Mineral Wool, now we are bringing this to our Rock Mineral Wool portfolio.”
COVID-19 may have provided unprecedented challenges for our company, but we are committed to producing a large portfolio of exciting new innovations for our customers throughout 2021.
Managing Director Systems Division and Group Marketing Director Saša Bavec says: “Our award-winning ECOSE Technology® — a revolutionary binder with no added formaldehyde — has been very successful in Glass Mineral Wool, now we are bringing this to our Rock Mineral Wool portfolio.”
Marc De Roeck, our Innovation Director, says: “The year 2020 may have been defined by challenges of the crisis but we have already announced some very exciting innovations such as the creation of a new tool to help customers understand the environmental impact of our products and our new Urbanscape® Detention Green Roof System.
“We have also prioritised technological improvements which can improve the thermal, fire and acoustic performance of our products. We have really put resources behind these products.”
Saša adds: “Customers can expect plenty of new innovation from Knauf Insulation in 2021.”
Better eco-understanding of our products
Imagine buying a product and understanding at a glance its environmental impact — and then being able to easily compare that impact with other products in the market. This is the ambition behind our new Eco-Design tool which will help our teams and our customers make informed choices about insulation solutions.
For more than a decade we have analysed the environmental impact of our products and systems based on Life Cycle Assessment, and produced documents known as Environmental Product Declarations or EPDs. These EPDs reveal the environmental impact of our products at every stage of their life — from the sourcing of raw materials, manufacture, packaging, distribution, use in buildings and ultimate disposal.
With data from our EPDs, our new tool uses the principle of shadow pricing to sum up the environmental impact of our products across their entire life cycle in one simple measure — euros. Shadow pricing attaches a price to something that is not often quantified financially, for example, the social cost of replacing a city park in terms of community or value to children’s play.
Our tool will put a shadow price on environmental indicators — such as global warming potential, acidification and resources used — which are influenced by aspects of the product’s life cycle. The tool will be adaptable to incorporate other aspects such as health-related issues or product content. Our aim is to start testing a pilot model in early 2021.
SUPAFIL CERTIFIED BY DECLARE
Our SUPAFIL blowing wool has been certified free of Red List ingredients by the DECLARE label. The list is a database of substances that are designated harmful to health by international health organisations and centralised on a Red List by the International Living Future Institute. The certification publicly reveals the composition of ingredients down to every 0.01%. DECLARE certification also helps specifiers achieve credits in Green Building Rating Systems that focus on healthy materials.
APPROVALS BREAKTHROUGH
Twelve of our flat roof solutions have been certified by the world-renowned FM Approvals Fire and Natural Hazard’s laboratory in North America after being subjected to a range of demanding fire and weather tests. Having FM Approvals allows our teams to participate in tenders for flat roofs projects across Europe and the UK. It also instils market confidence.
SOLUTION’S HOSPITAL DEBUT
Knauf Insulation Serbia has developed its own Rock Mineral Wool lamella in the Balkans as demand grows for efficient sound, thermal and fire insulation for garages, basements and technical rooms. A local division of Knauf contributed mortar for fixing the lamellas and colour finishing and the new CLT system was launched in 2020. A total of 1,900 m2 of our new solution has already been installed in the corridors of the new wing of Belgrade cardiovascular hospital.
NEW GREEN BUILDING RATING SCHEMES FACTSHEETS
As Green Building Rating Systems are upgraded we ensure our factsheets are updated so specifiers know how to achieve maximum credits. Our new LEEDv4.1 fact-sheets are now available on knau!nsulation.com along with factsheets for the latest versions of BREEAM International New Construction, DGNB and WELL.
Discover some of our most innovative buildings:
Read our Annual Review 2020!