Aluminium and the Environment

We believe that aluminium curtain walling, doors, windows and facades provide the most suitable visual and technical solutions for today's buildings. With its low weight, high strength and endless design possibilities, our commitment is to develop systems that enhance the built environment through simple fabrication.

We realise that in this context the word environment does not just mean the "green" credentials of the product, but also its contribution to the quality of built environment. The depth of thought and commitment to these aspects can be found throughout our design and manufacturing activities, from economy of materials, to waste processing, through to recycling.

We are committed to helping the building industry meet the targets set out in the Kyoto Protocol concerning the reduction of CO2 emissions from all buildings. We continue to develop advanced product designs using the latest 'thermal break' technology, to ensure compliance with relevant Building Regulations both now and in the future.

• In excess of 40% of our UK extrusion output is manufactured from recycled billet, produced through our own re-melt facility. This recycling process uses approximately 5% of the energy used when producing primary aluminium.
• An average of 70% of aluminium used today's buildings is already recycled.
• 70%-98% of aluminium used in today's buildings will eventually be recycled.
• The fundamental properties of aluminium do not change after recycling - a unique property compared to other materials. 

Why Choose Aluminium?

The essential characteristics of aluminium make it an ideal material for construction. It is light, strong, durable and requires minimal maintenance. It is flexible and easy to handle - this gives it tremendous potential for design. It can be curved, tapered, extruded and cut to the most challenging and dynamic geometries. Where it is cut, the metal's innate resistance to corrosion means that the trimmed edge does not need to be protected. It can be finished in a vast range of colours through powder coating or anodising.

Our expertise in profile design means that we have a huge and fully integrated product range that provides visually stunning yet cost effective solutions to almost any application from a domestic conservatory right through to high rise building envelopes. With the earliest installations of aluminium in construction still withstanding the test of time after well over 100 years, it is evident that aluminium is a genuinely ""long life"" product. However, when it does come to the end of its life, recycling is easy, energy efficient and total. 

Recycling

Recycling comes from two prime sources; scrap material from the production process and used material from products that have been removed or replaced.
The life cycle of aluminium is such that end-of-use products are rare, however almost all pre-production scrap is recycled.

We have the facility within Sapa Group to recycle 35,000 tonnes of aluminium per year. Only a small percentage of metal is lost during the actual recycling process, becoming aluminium oxide, which is a natural part of our environment.
The recycling process itself only requires about 5% of the energy that was consumed in the production of primary aluminium.

The purpose of recycling is to produce new high quality material from waste and used products in an economical and environment friendly manner.