Smart Energy Voices - Episode 113

Reaching Net Zero: Kingspan’s Planet Passionate Program

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Kingspan’s Planet Passionate Program

Launched as part of Kingspan’s decade-long sustainability commitment, the Planet Passionate program aims to achieve net zero energy and enhance environmental stewardship across the company. Trenga highlights the company’s proactive approach to setting near-term goals for 2030 to drive rapid progress, sharing insights into the rigorous accountability measures in place, including monthly reports to the board on the company's progress toward sustainability goals.

Culture of Sustainability and Community Engagement

Kingspan makes sure to empower employees at all levels to contribute to sustainability goals, from implementing solar power and rainwater harvesting at their facilities to participating in local cleanup projects. Trenga notes the value of individual site initiatives and how employees can bring ideas to life through steering committees. They also touch on recent energy targets and the challenges of balancing electrification and renewable energy procurement while maintaining a focus on carbon reduction and community impact.

Economic Realities of Renewable Thermal

Renewable thermal solutions often come with a higher price tag than renewable electricity. Taylor highlighted that, on average, costs for renewable thermal technologies can be five to 10 times higher than traditional natural gas. This makes it essential for companies to weigh their options carefully, balancing environmental goals with financial realities.

Whole Life Carbon and Kingspan

Whole life carbon is a concept that encompasses both embodied carbon and operational energy. Brent explains that embodied carbon refers to the energy required to manufacture, source, and transport building materials while operational energy focuses on the energy used to run buildings throughout their lifespan. Both should be considered in decision-making to ensure long-term sustainability and efficiency. Brent underscores the necessity of a long-term perspective in sustainable building practices, particularly as stakeholders increasingly demand higher efficiency from new constructions.

Challenges in Kingspan’s Planet Passionate Program

Despite initial struggles with sourcing renewable energy and waste diversion, the team has made significant strides. He highlights the difficulties posed by the low costs of landfill disposal in North America, which often deter waste diversion efforts. To address this, they have implemented strategies to segregate waste streams and collaborate with new waste haulers, achieving impressive waste diversion rates of over 95%.

Advice for Launching a Sustainability Program

Trenga offers valuable advice for companies initiating their sustainability programs, including timely benchmarking to understand current performance and setting realistic, yet aggressive, targets that drive cultural change. Looking ahead, he anticipates reassessing and evolving their goals as they reach the midpoint of the Planet Passionate program.

Resources:

• Kingspan Certifications
• Planet Passionate Program

Connect with Brent Trenga

• On LinkedIn

Brent Trenga has truly run the construction industry gamut serving in various roles including architect, developer, and even project owner, allowing him to fully understand the sustainability ecosystem. As Sustainability Director for Kingspan North America, Brent is committed to reducing the environmental impact of business operations, products, and services through continuous improvement and environmental transparency.

Since 2015, Brent has led Kingspan North America’s material health and transparency program while driving a culture of healthier building, healthier planet, healthier people across Kingspan’s global footprint. Brent also leads Kingspan’s global Planet Passionate 2030 program looking after the Americas, supports strategic planning for the business development group, and provides insight on current and future sustainability initiatives keeping Kingspan at the forefront of our industry.