BUILD BEYOND TOMORROW

By 2050, 70 percent of the world's population is expected to live in cities and urban areas. As a result, energy consumption and CO₂-emissions from buildings are increasing significantly. "Our sector accounts for about 39 percent of global energy-related CO₂-emissions," says Perry Hermans, Country Manager Benelux WICONA GEVEL SYSTEMS at Hydro Building Systems. "Investments in new buildings will therefore have a huge impact on our quality of life as well as climate change. We are happy to use all the relevant knowledge and experience we have gained over the past 70 years to reduce this impact. For example, by developing and producing circular aluminum products that help to reduce CO₂-emissions in the use phase as much as possible. The ambitious target we have set ourselves for this is 50 percent less CO₂-emissions in 2025...."

To achieve this objective, WICONA goes beyond recycled, CO₂-poor aluminum products, Hermans says. "We conduct every part of our business as sustainably as possible. This starts with the origin of the metal. For our production, we use Hydro CIRCAL aluminum, which has one of the lowest carbon emissions in the world. Moreover, we actively cooperate with partners of recycled aluminum parts who share our ambitions and values. We continuously reduce and optimize energy consumption at our production sites, investing in cleaner and renewable (green) energy. Moreover, we use less packaging materials and actively seek opportunities to deliver in a sustainable and energy-efficient manner. Because sustainability starts with ourselves. It flows through every decision and action we take." Yet WICONA does not lose sight of the broader picture either. "To really make a difference, we look not company-wide, not market-wide, but globally," Hermans said. "As part of Hydro, for example, we commit ourselves to the social ambition of giving as many as 500,000 people the opportunity for education by the end of 2030. This is how we build a better future for everyone. Even after tomorrow."

Broad involvement

WICONA demonstrates its strong commitment to the environment in many areas. Not only by betting highly on recycled and low-carbon materials, but also with sophisticated product design adapted to a circular economy and produced within a responsible supply chain. "All statements in this area are certified by external organizations, guaranteeing maximum transparency," Hermans said. "In reducing CO₂-footprint (carbon footprint) of a building we take into account all emissions generated during the life cycle of this building. Think for example of the operational emissions, emissions before occupation and recorded emissions. Because only by reducing all these emissions can we achieve truly circular, CO₂-poor and provide high-quality windows, doors and facades."

WICTEC EL EVO

WICONA supplies all its products in Hydro CIRCAL. This includes the latest product innovations, such as the WICTEC EL EVO; an innovative one-piece element façade system that can be individually adapted to project-specific requirements. "All elements of WICTEC EL EVO are manufactured in controlled workshop environments, unaffected by external (weather) conditions," says Hermans. "This results in consistent, high quality and in a stable end product that can be assembled quickly and efficiently on site. The profiles are carefully extruded from Hydro's CIRCAL 75R aluminum; a high-quality aluminum alloy of at least 75% recycled end-of-lifecycle aluminum (post-consumer scrap)."