Reynaers Aluminium advocates broader view of sustainability in the construction industry

Sustainability is one of the greatest challenges of the future. Yet the concept is often approached too one-sidedly in the construction industry. Reynaers Aluminium, leading supplier of innovative aluminum systems for windows, doors and facades, calls for a broad and more thoughtful view of sustainability, with an eye for the broader perspective and the entire life cycle of buildings.

Too often in the current discussion of sustainability, the emphasis is on only one element: embodied carbon - embedded carbon. This is the carbon footprint of the materials used in the construction phase.

More than one digit

''That number is important,'' states Andreas Ververis, key account manager of Reynaers Aluminium and a member of the sustainability working group. ''In many conversations I have with contractors, architects and facade builders, the focus is on the number, but if the conversation stops there, we miss the full picture.''

Call to the industry: broaden the view

Tunnel vision on one figure leads to a distorted view of sustainability and hinders progress in the construction industry. Instead, Ververis advocates a comprehensive approach that includes, for example, energy efficiency, recyclability, longevity and ease of disassembly in the design and construction process. ''The whole life cycle of a building must be included to make the right choices.''

From every angle

In early June, Reynaers Aluminium therefore launched a new campaign: Sustainability. From every angle. In doing so, the company further implements its corporate sustainability strategy ''Reynaers Act'' in which concrete, ambitious goals have been formulated. ''As a family business, we want to have a positive influence on our environment. No woolly words, but simply working together to keep our planet liveable in the long term.

There are no simple answers, but there are better questions

"The road to a more sustainable future is complex," Ververis said. "It involves trade-offs, cooperation and daring to ask better questions. That is why we invite the sector to an open dialogue about sustainability. In this, the focus is not just one figure, but the entire life cycle of a building, including construction, use, renovation and reuse. Only in this way can we achieve truly future-proof and valuable buildings.''