While carbon-neutral may be the ultimate goal by 2050 their are numerous near term improvements being made to improve the sustainability of materials used in the retail design and shop fitout industry. Here are some examples of progress that can be made on sustainability in the absence of net-zero options:
- Materials Sourced From Sustainable Sources Or Incorporating Recycled Materials In Manufacturing
- Reducing Carbon Intensity In Manufacturing
- Items That Can Be Repurposed Or Relocated
- Items That Can Be Repaired or Repainted To The Extend The Usable Life
Materials Sourced From Sustainable Sources Or Incorporating Recycled Materials In Manufacturing
Melamine board is a key component of gondola shelving and slatwall and has made advancement in the sourcing of timber for the board. It is now sourced from sustainable plantations and the manufacturing process has removed environmentally-harmful chemicals like formaldehyde. Decorative wall panels such as our Panespol stone, concrete and brick wall panels now incorporate a substantial amount of recycled materials into their products. While more progress may be made it is an example of the move towards greater sustainability.
Reducing Carbon Intensity In Manufacturing
Our Advanced Display Systems factory now draws over 30% of its electricity from solar and the Panespol factory in Spain is closing in on 100% of its power being solar. As previously. mentioned recycling and sustainably grown materials are further assisting this progress.
Using Items That Can Be Repurposed Or Relocated
Custom shopfits and slatwall are items that are permanently fixed in place in a store design. Though the fitouts will last for many years at the end of its life, or if you need to relocate the store, the almost the entire retail design shopfit will need to be removed and disposed of. Gondola Shelving, such as our Ox Gondola Shelving, can be easily disassembled by two people in a short period of time and relocated to your new premise. The ability to re-purpose the system creates a massive saving in both environmental and financial costs.
Items That Can Be Repaired or Repainted To The Extend The Usable Life
Gondola Shelving can have parts and slatwall panels easily replaced whereas actual slatwall is far more difficult to repair (see our ‘How To Repair Broken Slatwall’ article). This shows an example of how some shopfittings can have their useful life extended versus other items that may need full replacement. Another example is our Panespol Decorative Wall Panels that can be repainted. When considering which style of products to incorporate in your retail design the ability to repair can add to the sustainability of your choice.
While we continue to progress sustainability goals making smart decisions now can have an effect in years to come.
