In 2015 the member countries of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This document encompasses a framework of actions for peace and prosperity condensed in its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Moving towards the 2030 Agenda is as ambitious as it is complex. It requires a delicate balance between social, climate and economic development goals, and needs the commitment of states, industry and civil society as a whole.
What are the SDGs and why are they important?
The SDGs are the United Nations’ 17 goals for sustainable development, aimed at ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring prosperity for all.
They outline the various goals, challenges and strategies to curb climate change, reduce social inequalities, improve health, stimulate fair economic growth and preserve the oceans and forests.
Their graphic representation – a circle with 17 colours – might suggest that they function as unrelated compartments. However, the 17 are interlinked in such a way that any progress in one has a positive impact on the others.
That is why they are also known as Global Goals.
- No Poverty
- Zero Hunger
- Good Health and Well-Being
- Quality Education
- Gender Equality
- Clean Water and Sanitation
- Affordable and Clean Energy
- Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Reduced Inequalities
- Responsible Consumption and Production
- Climate Action
- Life Below Water
- Life on Land
- Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
- Partnerships
How do technical elements and protective solutions in EPP and EPS contribute to the SDGs?
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) and expanded polypropylene (EPP) are two mono-materials possessing excellent insulating properties, and are lightweight, easy to mould and 100% recyclable.
They have applications in logistics, construction, HVAC and the automotive sectors, among others.
EPP and EPS protection products, in addition to technical elements manufactured in these materials, contribute to the SDGs by reducing energy consumption in buildings, reducing waste, and promoting sustainable manufacturing practice.
Both of these plastic foams can thus be considered as sustainable building materials, also known as green building materials.
In this new construction that contributes to the protection of the environment, materials of renewable origin (wood, cork, coconut fibre, etc. and NEOPS®) are included, in addition to those that are recyclable or originate from the recycling of plastic waste (r-EPS, r-EPP).
Specific examples of how Knauf Appliances products comply with the SDGs
Our technical elements and insulation products in EPP and EPS can help reduce energy consumption in buildings, which contributes to SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. In addition, our products are made from recycled materials, supporting SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
But these are not the only UN Sustainable Development Goals that are being addressed.
SDG 7 – Affordable and clean energy
This SDG refers to energy efficiency solutions that reduce energy consumption and/or facilitate the use of renewable resources.
Our EPP components for air recovery units help to meet this objective. Their use in HVAC equipment allows the manufacture of airtight, insulated enclosures, in compliance with certification requiring a maximum of 3% leakage of the nominal air flow rate.
This air-tightness and insulation make it possible for the equipment to achieve greater performance, with lower energy consumption. The number of elements required to assemble the structure is also reduced, leading to a reduction in manufacturing energy costs.
Applied to air heating equipment, it also contributes towards generating renewable, non-polluting energy for sustainable housing.
SDG 9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure
SDG 9 calls on industry at the epicentre of technological innovations to develop sustainable, lasting solutions to environmental challenges.
Due to their ease of moulding and good mechanical strength, EPP parts can be moulded to replace complex systems with various articulated components. In other words, a single part can perform the same function that would otherwise require up to 50 components to be bolted, screwed, glued or assembled in some way.
These solutions simplify assembly and can shorten assembly times by up to 40%.
In the case of hot water boilers, EPS insulation provides a perfect fit for hydraulic connections. This eliminates inefficiencies and energy losses. Using EPS as an alternative to polyurethane in these appliances improves their environmental profile, reduces their carbon footprint and has no potential health risks.
At Knauf Appliances we are experts in the development of customised EPP components. We are backed by the experience gained over more than 10 years at our R&D Lab in its three working methodologies:
- design in cooperation with the client,
- implementation of approved projects,
- development of projects previously designed by the client, after preparation of the DFM (Design for Manufacturing) to optimise the process.
Industrial EPS protection and solutions also optimise logistics, transport and warehousing. Due to its lightness and ease of moulding, protective packaging solutions using this mono-material can increase the palletised load capacity by up to 16%, but with 20% less weight.
This means lower storage and transport costs, as well as reduced emissions associated with both stages of the logistics chain.
SDG 11- Sustainable cities and communities
This SDG aims to achieve sustainable cities and communities. By 2030, 60% of the world’s population is expected to live in cities. However, there is still much to be done in terms of sustainability in the built environment.
A study by the International Environment Agency (IEA) points out that buildings are responsible for 30% of energy consumption and 40% of energy-related carbon emissions.
EPP insulation on HVAC equipment significantly improves their efficiency and reduces the carbon emissions associated with their use. It also provides a further advantage in terms of comfort and good neighbourliness: it significantly reduces noise during operation thanks to its mechanical capacity to dampen vibrations.
All of this improves quality of life for its users and contributes towards creating friendlier cities.
SDG 12 – Responsible consumtion and protection
SDG 12 covers the sensible management of all waste throughout its life cycle in order to reduce its impact on the environment and health.
EPP is a mono-material that can be easily recycled using mechanical processes. The HVAC appliance simply needs to be deposited at the appropriate waste management point at the end of its life cycle so that its components can be properly recycled.
This recyclability of EPP contributes to a more sustainable, circular industry; a concept also known as ‘green manufacturing’. Most EPP solutions can also be manufactured in r-EPP, further contributing to the circular economy.
Part of our r-EPP is of marine origin, i.e., we recycle the material from old fishing nets. In this way, we not only contribute raw materials to the circular economy, we also contribute towards safeguarding the oceans (SDG 14).
EPS is used in technical elements and protective packaging to keep air conditioning equipment safe from possible impact during storage and transport to the installation site. This mono-material, 98% of which is air, allows the manufacture of lightweight protection solutions tailored to each load.
It can be replaced by r-EPS or NEOPS®, our renewable material possessing the same properties as EPS.
The use of EPS and EPP in all these applications makes it possible to manufacture eco-friendly products for a circular economy. It also becomes a valuable cost optimisation tool which improves competitiveness for the industry.
Conclusion: the role of business in achieving the SDGs
The contribution of all these developments is essential in order to comply with the 2030 Agenda. In addition, it increases competitiveness, generates wealth and quality employment, and leads society towards sustainable progress.
At Knauf Appliances we are aware of this responsibility and are working to provide products with a lower carbon footprint throughout their entire life cycle, including manufacturing.
As a company we have a strong commitment to society and our environment, which has led to strategies that meet 15 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since 2021, Knauf Appliances has been a member of Global Compact’s SDG Ambition programme.
We are moving towards a cleaner planet, as evidenced by the fact that many of our plants are already Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) certified for the retention and reuse of pellet waste. We are also implementing improvements to reduce consumption and emissions at all our production sites.
Our goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our plants by 50% by 2030. And continue to reduce CO2 emissions related to the life cycle of our products.
FAQ about SDG
The SDGs are the United Nations’ 17 goals for sustainable development, aimed at ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring prosperity for all.
EPP and EPS protection products, in addition to technical elements made from these materials, contribute to the SDGs by reducing energy consumption in buildings, reducing waste, and promoting sustainable manufacturing practice.
Our EPP and EPS technical elements and insulation products can help reduce energy consumption in buildings, contributing to SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. In addition, our products are made from recycled materials, supporting SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
