Decarbonisation

It’s time to build a better future

At ROCKWOOL Group, we believe that by decarbonising our business and value chain, we can reinforce the fact that we’re a net carbon negative company. That’s why 2020 saw us join a group of pioneering companies committed to the SBTi.

To meet the Paris Climate Agreement’s goal of keeping the temperature rise well below 2°C, we need to act now. There is no quick fix in the fight against climate change. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a team effort, with governments, companies and citizens all doing their part. A lot has been achieved up until now, but there is a long way to go and we need to speed up the process. Even companies who are in the energy saving business must do more.

ROCKWOOL Sustainability Report

Net carbon negative in a ratio of 100:1

ROCKWOOL insulation products save an enormous amount of energy, significantly reducing the associated greenhouse gas emissions in both buildings and industry. The fact that the thermal efficiency of our products does not deteriorate over time is an important reason for this. So while our production is energy-intensive, our stone wool insulation saves far more energy and CO₂ – actually 100 times more – than is consumed and emitted during its production. Our other stone wool products support sustainable modern living within water management, sound insulation, building aesthetics, and horticultural growing solutions for professional greenhouse growers. Stone wool is circular by nature and can be fully recycled indefinitely with no loss of performance.

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Taking energy saving further with SBTi

ROCKWOOL has signed up to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and committed to a verified and approved plan for an ambitious one-third reduction of our lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by 2034, using 2019 as the baseline. This includes reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 38 percent by 2034 and our Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2034. The SBTi is a partnership among CDP, United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute, and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and has been created to drive ambitious climate action in the private sector by mobilising companies to set science-based reduction targets.

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Saving energy, slashing emissions

According to the Paris Climate Agreement, 42 percent of the carbon emission reductions should come from energy efficiency. For decades, ROCKWOOL has focused on energy efficiency in our factories, and this continues to be our main priority. After all, the best kind of energy reduction is energy that is not used. ROCKWOOL building insulation sold in 2022 will save an impressive 931 TWh (terawatt hour) of heating energy over the lifetime of building insulation and 4123 TWh in the lifetime of technical insulation sold

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Factory, City, Plants, Trees, Pollution, Emissions

Renovating for a successful climate action

Buildings account for 36 percent of emissions in the EU and 40 percent in the United States, while the building stock is expected to double by 2060. The vast majority of the world’s building stock is incompatible with climate objectives. Succeeding on climate action requires succeeding on making the world’s buildings far more energy efficient. The good news is that constructing new and renovating existing buildings for greater energy efficiency is not rocket science. It requires using well-known building materials and practices.

It is essential that building renovations are done in the right way. This means two things: that the renovations qualify as “deep”, that is, achieving energy savings of at least 60 percent; and that the materials used are amongst others things healthy, fire resilient and circular.

At ROCKWOOL, this is also the approach we take to renovating our own buildings. During 2022, we made good progress and completed the renovation of nine of our own offices. One of these was our office in Bohumin, Czech Republic, where we succeeded in reducing the building’s energy demand by 81 percent.

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Investing in innovation

Reduction of our factories’ direct emissions is a key focus of our technological innovation. That is why we’re pioneering large scale electric melting technology, well suited for countries where the electricity grid is already low carbon.

For years, ROCKWOOL has also made substantial investments in developing fuel-flexible melting technology. Now we’re reaping the benefits, as this technology allows us to transition from coal and coke to less carbon-intensive fuels in the facilities where it is used.

Most recently, our newly opened factory in Qingyuan, China started operations using electric melting technology, which we expect will reduce annual CO2 emissions by more than 60 percent compared to the decommissioned factory it replaces. Elsewhere, our manufacturing facility in Mississippi, USA successfully transitioned from coal to natural gas during 2022, which is projected to save up to 30 percent in CO2 emissions annually due to our melting technology.

Getting the proportions right

Through our insulation products we have truly significant positive impact on the climate change:

Our building insulation sold in 2022 will save 931 terawatt-hours of heating energy during its lifetime. This is equivalent to more than 100 times the carbon emitted in its production.
Our building insulation saves more than 60 times the PM emissions related to the production of ROCKWOOL insulation during the 50 years average lifetime of a building.
Our technical insulation sold in 2022 will save more than 4123 terawatt-hours heating energy during its lifetime and as a result save one billion tonnes of CO2.

We are committed going forward to maximizing the saved energy and carbon through the use of our products.

How is the saving calculated?

To assess the energy, carbon and air emission savings from the usage of sold ROCKWOOL insulation products, there is a need for a robust and transparent calculation methodology. Therefore, ROCKWOOL asked Navigant to develop a methodology to calculate the energy and CO2 emission savings of its building and technical insulation as well as the SO2, NOx, and particulate matter (PM) savings for building insulation. Navigant developed the methodologies independently of ROCKWOOL and endorses that the annual savings calculated by ROCKWOOL correctly follow these methodologies.

The CO2 and other air emissions emitted during production of ROCKWOOL products have been calculated by ROCKWOOL.

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Methodology

Guidehouse developed methodologies to calculate the CO₂, energy and emission savings in the lifetime of sold building insulation and technical insulation products. Guidehouse endorsed that these product benefits calculated by ROCKWOOL annual correctly follow these methodologies. Download the methodologies here:

Quantifying the energy, climate, and air emission benefits of ROCKWOOL products for building insulation

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298.9 kB

Quantifying the energy, climate, and air emission benefits of ROCKWOOL products for technical insulation

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266.8 kB

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Visit our different case studies

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Rockzero, HusCompagniet, Reference Case, Glostrup, Højmarksvej

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Sustainability

Sustainable growing

The global food production system is under pressure, and the need to find more sustainable ways of feeding a growing and more urbanised population is becoming urgent. Our Grodan hydroponic products address this concern and enable food production in urban settings using fewer natural resources.

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Sustainability

Circularity at ROCKWOOL Group

At ROCKWOOL Group, we’re committed to supporting the transition towards a circular economy.

Sustainability

Sustainability goals

At ROCKWOOL Group, sustainability is at our core. Our business strategy is driven by a passion for converting sustainable development challenges into business opportunities, through innovative products, solutions and partnerships.

People, Humans, Family, Parents, Kids, Indoor, Home

Sustainability

Healthy living environments

Although city living can be great and full of opportunities, it can be challenging when it comes to health and safety, and issues such as noise, air pollution and the threat of fire. Products from ROCKWOOL Group can create the optimal indoor environment while enhancing fire resilience.

Decarbonisation

It’s time to build a better future

ROCKWOOL Sustainability Report

ROCKWOOL on human rights

ESG Data

ROCKWOOL on decarbonisation

ROCKWOOL on circularity

ROCKWOOL on environmental footprint

ROCKWOOL on embodied carbon

ROCKWOOL on stone

Methodology statement

Net carbon negative in a ratio of 100:1

Taking energy saving further with SBTi

Saving energy, slashing emissions

Renovating for a successful climate action

Investing in innovation

Getting the proportions right

How is the saving calculated?

Methodology

Quantifying the energy, climate, and air emission benefits of ROCKWOOL products for building insulation

Quantifying the energy, climate, and air emission benefits of ROCKWOOL products for technical insulation

Visit our different case studies

Bubiza, Kassel, Germany

Nearly Zero-Energy Family House, Glostrup, Denmark

Bolueta Tower, Bilbao, Spain

Want to learn more?

Sustainable growing

Circularity at ROCKWOOL Group

Sustainability goals

Healthy living environments