Sustainability report: Rockwool insulation products sold in 2023 will save 100 times the energy consumed during production

Taking stock of the 11 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the group, the report specifies in particular its progress towards carbon neutrality, the energy transition within the company, recycling and optimization of resources .

Thanks to its rock wool insulation solutions, the ROCKWOOL Group contributes each year to increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and thus reducing the carbon footprint of the global building stock. ROCKWOOL insulation products sold in 2023 will save 100 times the energy consumed in the production phase over their lifetime. On average, ROCKWOOL insulation in buildings begins saving more energy than was consumed during its manufacture only six to seven months after installation. This short energy payback time is one of the reasons why ROCKWOOL stone wool makes so much economic, environmental and social sense.

ROCKWOOL products, made from a natural material (basalt), retain their performance beyond 65 years and can be recycled endlessly. As such, Trucost Cabinet, a subsidiary of Standard & Poor's Global, has classified all ROCKWOOL products as positive for the SDGs. In 2023 and for the 7th consecutive year, the EcoVadis France evaluator awards a gold medal to ROCKWOOL France's social and environmental responsibility policy, going from a score of 72 to 74/100 and even 80/100 for the part devoted to the environment and the company's social policy.

In 2023, ROCKWOOL continues to progress on 5 of its intermediate sustainable development objectives, including:

More than 3.000 tonnes of wool recycled in France

In 2023, more than 3 tonnes of rock wool could be recycled by ROCKWOOL, including more than 000 tonnes with the Rockcycle service. Indeed, a pioneer in the recycling of materials, ROCKWOOL has, for more than 2 years in France, developed Rockcycle, a collection and recycling service for rock wool products from construction, renovation or demolition sites. Thanks to Rockcycle, almost 500% more rock wool was collected and recycled via the Rockcyce service, compared to 10.

Throughout the world, Rockcycle is available in 21 countries, and aims to operate in 30 countries by 2030. In France ROCKWOOL is a member of the approved eco-organization VALOBAT, which offers multi-material solutions for recovery of building waste.

16% reduction in GHG emissions on scope 1 and 2

Thanks to efforts undertaken since 2019, ROCKWOOL has reduced absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 16%, representing a saving of 0,33 Mt of CO2 in 2023 alone. A reduction made possible in particular with electric fusion furnace technology, which can replace the combustion of fossil fuels. In France, the ROCKWOOL factory in Saint-Eloy-Les-Mines has already had this technology since 1996. And for its future factory in Soissons, in Hauts-de-France, the group plans to install an electric oven 'a new size. This technology will reduce CO2 by up to 70% compared to traditional coal-fired fusion technology.

Regarding scope 3, ROCKWOOL has already reduced its CO11 emissions by 2% since 2019, or 0.11 Mt of CO2, with the aim of reaching 20% ​​in 2034.

14% reduction in GHGs in production

Since 2015, ROCKWOOL production sites have reduced carbon emissions per tonne of rock wool produced by 14%. A reduction which allows ROCKWOOL to be 4 points ahead of its 2022 intermediate objective (10%) to reach 20% by 2030.

16% of water consumption saved in 2023

On the various sites, average water consumption in production was reduced by 16%, exceeding the 6 intermediate objective of 2022% by 10 points, thanks to the optimization of processes and the recovery of rainwater.

• In France, the Saint-Eloy-Les-Mines site has already reduced its water consumption by 35% since 2003. The industrial site is included in the PURE plan, a plan for the rational use of water in Puy -de-Dôme.
• Finally, savings on water resources will also be implemented at the future Soissons production site where water consumption estimates will be reduced to 0,72m3/tonne of rock wool manufactured, in addition to the efforts undertaken in recovery. rainwater thanks to basins which will cover at least 50% of the site's needs.

53% waste avoided in 2023

The deposit of waste sent to landfill on production sites was reduced by 53% in 2023, i.e. 13 points ahead of the 2022 intermediate objective and on track to reach 85% in 2030. In France and Germany, for example, the Rockcycle service replaced regular rockwool collection bags with larger bags (meaning fewer trips back and forth) made with 30% recycled content and 55% fewer materials.

ROCKWOOL France is also:

The dissemination of good practices to accelerate the energy renovation of buildings:

• For professionals: ROCKWOOL Campus is a training organization created in 2014 to support the improvement of the skills of insulation professionals. The objective is to offer professionals insulation training adapted to their needs and their level of experience. The training available is QUALIOPI certified and guarantees performance, the professionalization of trades and the security of processes from design to construction.
• For individuals: faced with the complexity of aid systems, ROCKWOOL, which already offers solutions that help to better understand regulations and financing opportunities, now offers individuals a connection service with its network of craftsmen, Rénov 'By ROCKWOOL.

Safe, attractive and healthier buildings:

ROCKWOOL products are made from high-performance materials and are safe for end users, workers and the environment. Rock wool does not contain chemical flame retardants and is EUCEB (European Certification Board of mineral products) certified. Featuring high resistance to humidity, ROCKWOOL rock wool also provides noise attenuation and acoustic comfort. ROCKWOOL products contribute to obtaining credits in sustainable construction programs such as LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), HQE (High Environmental Quality) and the taxonomy of EU and are therefore highly appreciated by customers all over the world.