Creating a sustainable future: Polyroof paves the way for the flat roofing industry
Polyroof, a member of the Roberts Group family, has been at the forefront of the liquid flat roofing arena for the last 40 years, having built upon their successful reputation for robust cold-applied waterproofing membranes through continuous dedication to research, development, and advancement of their innovative technology. As the wider construction landscape looks towards enhancing the sustainability credentials of their projects, Polyroof has long acknowledged the importance of implementing green initiatives which help our customers to achieve their goals. Polyroof strongly believes in making a difference within the built environment and are proud to uphold industry-leading sustainability plans, spearheaded by ambitious Net Zero and carbon reduction targets.
Polyroof has propelled significant focus into the company’s green agenda in recent years, reinforced with the appointment of Andrew Roberts as Head of Sustainability for the wider Roberts Group, a third-generation member of the business’ founding family. Through Andrew’s strategic role within the business, the UK-based manufacturer has successfully evolved its operations to pave the way for a sustainable future and support the Government’s pledge to achieve Net Zero by the year 2050.
Speaking of Polyroof’s sustainable direction, Andrew said: “We are fully committed to making sustainability the centre of our business, embedded in our culture from top to bottom. We aim to lead the way on sustainability, futureproofing our status as a leader in the flat roofing industry by making conscious, data-driven decisions that have a positive influence on all elements of our organisation and the environments in which our products are installed. The business has already implemented a number of initiatives that reinforce our position as a sustainable industry leader, from investing in sustainable product technology to analysing how we can decarbonise our whole supply chain.”
Carbon Neutral Roofing Solutions
Polyroof is proud to offer a carbon neutral liquid-applied waterproofing membrane through the Protec Evolve System. For every m2 of Protec Evolve installed, 21.89 kgCO2e of carbon is fully offset, having been certified by independent third party, Carbon Footprint Ltd. The full cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of the roofing membrane is offset using high-quality Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) carbon credits. This reduces the effects of climate change, assisting you and your clients in achieving your sustainability goals and supporting vital renewable energy projects.
Protec Evolve is ultra-low odour, based on an advanced flexible hybrid polyester methacrylate formulation, making it ideally suited to sensitive applications, such as in schools, hospitals, or other public areas. This in effect mitigates the risk of disruption for customers, thus promoting operational efficiency as well as significantly reduced odour pollution. Protec Evolve also contributes towards social sustainable development, by amplifying health, safety, and wellness within the system’s installation environments. Bolstered by BBA certification for a projected lifespan of at least 30 years and able to overcoat most substrates, Protec Evolve lessens the need for multiple waterproofing membrane replacements, thus reducing the level of waste created over the course of a roof’s lifetime.
Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)
Polyroof is proud to be leading the way in the liquid roofing industry, being one of the first to hold EPD for both their Protec and Protec Evolve Systems. EPD transparently communicate the environmental impact of a construction product over the course of its service life, aiding specifiers in determining the carbon footprint of a build. Polyroof is proud to be able to deliver EPD in-house and capitalise on their ability to drive carbon reduction. Specifying products supported with EPD can offer a whole host of benefits and careful comparison of EPD can help specifiers ensure they are making the sustainable choice. For advice on using and comparing EPD, please get in touch with the Polyroof team.
Reduced Environmental Impact
Polyroof recognises that the delivery of a sustainable future and, in particular, sustainable products and solutions, requires significant focus on reducing the environmental impact of both their company operations and supply chain. Since 2021, they have reduced their electrical usage by a total of 8,740 kilowatt hours and gas usage by 46%, equating to a 28-tonne carbon emission saving, all the while growing turnover by 54%. Within the next year, Polyroof is also aiming to install solar panels on the roof at their HQ in Flintshire, Wales and have already eliminated waste to landfill from site.
Andrew added: “Polyroof is actively working with organisations such as the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre Cymru in Broughton to monitor and analyse our electricity usage, which enables us to plan our most energy-intensive activity to coincide with high levels of green electrical power.
“What is important to remember is that we are moving towards a carbon-based economy, therefore, people need to bear in mind the carbon cost of commercial products, in addition to the monetary sum. The de-carbonisation measures that businesses collectively put in place now will ultimately shape how the world responds to the ever-growing issue of climate change.
“We are immensely proud to be paving the way for the flat roofing industry, through a combination of business growth and sustainable development. Since I joined the business three years ago, the company has grown from strength to strength and as we continue our mission towards Net Zero, we are confident that we will achieve our ambitious goals. Details around our Net Zero roadmap and sustainability plans can be found on the Polyroof website.”
Where sustainability matters to a liquid flat roofing project, the Polyroof team is ideally placed to assist. Please get in touch for further information.