Gowercroft is committed to the R5 policy of environmental sustainability. Refusing materials that do not meet our sustainability standards, Reducing our usage, Reusing wherever possible, Repurposing what we can and Recycling everything else.
Here is a breakdown of how we achieve this
Our products are designed to achieve very high standards on energy efficiency and draught-proofing to reduce energy usage throughout their lifespans. We exclusively use water-based paints and finishes. These coatings do not release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are toxic to the environment and can be carcinogenic to humans and animals. Water-based paints are safe for disposal and have a long shelf life. Products painted with water-based paints are safe to burn in domestic applications at the end of their service life – so our products will never end up in the landfill.
All of our standard products are made from fast-growing, long lasting timber from plantations in the developed world. These trees take about 25 years to reach full maturity, but will last upwards of 50 years in application – being a net Carbon sink. If we are required to use tropical hardwoods, then all of these timbers will come from managed plantations independently-verified under European regulations for sustainability. The majority of our timber is ordered based on component sizes, so we have very minimal waste material in the thickness and width.
Our timber off-cuts are incinerated in our on-site Biomass heater, with the heat generated used to warm the factory and ensure an ambient drying temperature in the paint shop.
All shavings are taken by a local farm and are used for bedding animals. This mixture is then used to mulch around the farm.
All joinery products brought back from sites across the U.K. are fully disassembled; with glass and ironmongery recycled and the timber put through the Biomass burner (where the paint system allows). All uPVC and Aluminium frames are taken away for recycling.
Our 25,000 square foot workshop produces less than 5,000 kilograms of landfill each year. (The domestic average per person, per year is just over 600 kilograms.)
