Recycling is a major factor when it comes to achieving climate neutrality. It has huge potential for reducing CO₂ – up to 23% by 2030 and as much as 60% by 2050. This means the recyclability of all the materials used for the building envelope should always be taken into consideration for both new builds and renovation projects.
However, a façade can only be considered truly sustainable if it can be used for a long period of time. This is achieved through regular maintenance and the option of upgrading the individual components. The components should only be recycled when demolition becomes unavoidable.
Aluminium as a material has particularly high potential here. Aluminium is a versatile material that can cope with a huge range of architectural requirements in terms of statics, durability and design options. Furthermore, aluminium can constantly be recycled with a comparatively low level of CO₂ emissions: a property that makes aluminium a sustainable long-term recyclable material.
Cradle to Cradle certified systems make a decisive contribution to the reuse of aluminium. The materials are separated and the recyclable material is shredded and melted down before reuse. This means windows and doors at the end of their useful life can be fed back into the A/U/F loop (Aluminium und Umwelt im Fenster- und Fassadenbau – aluminium and the environment in window and façade construction), reducing the need for newly manufactured aluminium for façade constructions.
With 76 currently certified systems, Schüco is one of the Cradle to Cradle pioneers in the building sector. Schüco is also committed to a sustainable aluminium industry and creating binding sustainability standards. As a reward for this commitment, Schüco is one of the first companies in the building sector to be certified in accordance with the internationally recognised Chain of Custody Standard by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI).