Sustainability in construction is an incredibly hot topic. While there is still a long way to go across the industry, we have undoubtedly made huge strides towards sustainability goals in recent years.

There have been widespread improvements in building regulations with the implementation of Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB), the workforce is being upskilled through ETBs and other training schemes, and renewable heating and solar systems are becoming more widely adopted and integrated.

Designers and engineers now also routinely consider embodied carbon through every stage of a building’s lifecycle. Sustainability is baked into designs from inception, which is a huge shift in how we think about construction.

At Pipelife, we are delighted to welcome these shifts but understand that there’s still lots of work to do to and further regulatory changes that can be made. That’s why we place a genuine focus on sustainability across our operations and are always striving to improve standards even further.

Our products and systems

As Ireland’s largest plastic pipe manufacturer, we focus both on how our products can make buildings more sustainable, and how we can make the products themselves more sustainable using the right materials and workplace practices. We have a number of products that achieve this throughout our ranges, including our manufactured pipes.

Through Pipelife, we take this commitment one step further by also providing renewable heating and ventilation systems designed to help Irish homeowners and home renovators meet their green energy goals. This includes:

• Air to water heat pumps for efficient, renewable home heating;
• Underfloor heating systems that pair perfectly with heat pumps and provide a comfortable, low temperature heating solution;
• Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery systems to improve indoor air quality while reducing heat loss;
• Eco heating pipes that are pre-insulated to reduce energy losses and increase system efficiency.

Our wider commitment to sustainability

As well as being at the very heart of our product development, sustainability is also built into the wider day-to-day decision making process at Pipelife. From the materials we use to the energy we consume within the factory, we strive to be as sustainable as possible.

We are also in the process of developing Life Cycle Analysis and Environmental Product Declarations for a number of our products so that we can quantify their environmental impact and embodied carbon.

Meanwhile, many members of the Pipelife team are being upskilled on Sustainability Leadership courses to guarantee that sustainability is a core focus throughout all departments in the business.

The future

As an industry that has drawn some negative opinion in relation to the historic environmental impact of construction, Pipelife has a very strong commitment to achieving world class results in relation to its ESG targets. On a group-wide level, we are leading the way within the industry to improve safety, reduce carbon footprint, and design products that maximise their potential in a truly circular economy.

The next 50 years will be just as ambitious as the last. With our talented team, strong values, and commitment to excellence, Pipelife Ireland is set to lead the way in sustainable and innovative piping and heating solutions. Should you have any questions about our renewable home heating solutions or sustainability targets, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.