There are many factors that can determine how environmentally friendly a product is. About 20% of the steel used in our roof lights are recycled. Whilst this amount may seem low compared to other manufacturers it ensures that the quality of the material used in the our range of steel skylights is always high. By using a better quality steel you can be sure that the product you are purchasing will last a long time and therefore reduces the need to use more material replacing it in a few years.

If you measure environmental impact on energy efficiency then our product is one of the highest performing conservation style rooflights available. Whilst some of our competitors products achieve the required standards of BS6375 it is worth asking exactly how each product performed under test conditions as there are many variables within the test that will differentiate between an average performing rooflight and an excellent one.

We are proud to say that the  range of steel rooflights achieved the highest class 4 rating for air permeability. Our full test report can be downloaded on the website along with an explanation of each test. As a result of the test performance achieved by the our rooflights, we can say with confidence that our product is also one of the most energy efficient rooflights you can buy.

In addition to our excellent performance, we have decided to keep our manufacturing based in the UK. Whilst this has the obvious benefits of having control over our quality and development there is another factor that should be considered. Whilst our competitors are happy to boast of energy ratings or applaud the government’s objectives to reduce carbon emissions; importing products from their factories in the Far East or Eastern Europe by plane or truck actually helps to increase the carbon footprint produced by those products.

Whilst we still have a long way to go ourselves, we are doing what we can to keep our environmental impact to a minimum and support organisations such as SPAB, The Woodland Trust, Weald & Downland Museum and World Wildlife Fund to ensure that both our built and natural environments are continue to thrive.

Cast Iron Rainwater Goods

Cast iron is produced from around 97% recycled material (scrap) and, in turn is 100% recyclable at the end of its life.

Results showed that cast iron has higher capital cost than PVC and aluminium but its whole life cost over a 100 year life cycle are only 35% of that of PVC and aluminium. Information demonstrates that cast iron also has a significantly lower impact in terms of energy consumption and CO2 emissions than PVC and aluminium. By using base data a report, written by Tim Pullen, eco-editor for Homebuilding and Renovating magazine, compares the key issues relating to each material over a 100 year life cycle for a standard house.

• Installation cycle (the number of times the product will need to be replaced)
• Embodied Energy MJ (energy needed for procuring raw material, manufacture and transport of the finished product based on installation cycle)
• Embodied CO2 (amount of C02 emissions based on installation cycle)
• Estimated maintenance and repair costs based on installation cycle (excluding labour costs)
• Whole life cost (capital cost plus cost of maintenance, repair and replacement over a100 year life cycle)