Schüco Carbon Control will contribute to the carbon neutrality of buildings

Two new profiles of Schüco aluminum façade systems with significantly reduced carbon footprints, Schüco Low Carbon (LC) and Schüco Ultra Low Carbon (ULC), are the foundation of a new initiative Carbon Control. As part of this initiative, Schüco aims to contribute to the carbon neutrality of buildings throughout their life cycle, from the design phase, through construction, operation, and finally, deconstruction.

According to the "Fit for 55" package of measures that is part of the Green Deal project, greenhouse gas emissions in the EU should be reduced by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and by 2050, the European Union should achieve climate neutrality. In addition to the transportation sector, construction will face the greatest challenges since the construction and operation of buildings account for nearly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is why Schüco has introduced the Carbon Control initiative, which enables every participant in the construction process to design, build, and use buildings with a climate-friendly envelope. As a result, buildings will remain investments for the future, capable of meeting legal requirements even after 2030, 2045, and 2050. Whether a building retains its value in the long term will depend on its "global warming potential" during the life cycle of the construction.

Global warming potential (GWP) measures how much heat a greenhouse gas captures in the atmosphere over a certain time horizon relative to carbon dioxide. The GWP value is expressed as CO2e (equivalent CO2) and is the result of the interaction between carbon emissions generated during the operation of the building and carbon emissions contained in the materials used. Conservatively utilizing material resources, integrating photovoltaics into the building, employing intelligent building control systems, or using Cradle-to-Cradle certified products can reduce these overall emissions.

Monitoring carbon dioxide emissions at every phase of the building life cycle

Mastering the process and complying with complex regulations and certifications are often difficult to reconcile with the functioning of the construction industry. For design and architectural offices, navigating through numerous demands and specifications is increasingly challenging, and manufacturers struggle to meet sustainability requirements to ensure their company remains not only competitive but also prepared for the future.

With Carbon Control, Schüco offers a range of products and services throughout the entire life cycle of the building, in four phases: design, construction, operation, and deconstruction. In addition to products and services, it includes consulting and support for specific projects provided by the Carbon Consultants team.

1. Design: Design to Decarb
2. Construction: Build to Decarb
3. Operation: Operate to Decarb
4. Deconstruction: Recycle to Decarb

Design to Decarb – designed for carbon neutrality

The resulting carbon balance of the building is born in the design phase. With a holistic approach in mind, Schüco Carbon Control starts with investors, architects, and developers, as the shape of the building, choice of materials and surface finishes, size of units, and use of smart building technology can minimize CO2e values already in the design phase. It is becoming increasingly common for investors and clients to demand certifications such as LEED, BREAM, or DGNB. These certifications serve as proof that the building meets sustainability criteria, thereby increasing its value and contributing to its long-term sustainability. Like GWP values, these certifications also take into account the entire life cycle, so it is necessary to consider subsequent phases from the beginning. The use of Schüco systems certified as Cradle-to-Cradle ensures compliance with the principle of circular economy of materials.

Build to Decarb – built with a minimal carbon footprint

Cradle to Cradle describes the circulation of materials in closed and potentially infinite cycles.

During construction, Schüco Carbon Control allows manufacturers to actively monitor the carbon footprint of the unit they are designing. The 3D calculation software SchüCal continuously calculates and displays the carbon footprint as a CO2e value, making it a perfect tool for precise design. SchüCal also allows the user to choose materials – in addition to standard aluminum, there are two new options: low carbon (LC) aluminum profile and ultra-low carbon (ULC) aluminum profile. The impact of using these new classes, LC and ULC, can be calculated. Additionally, Schüco is continuously improving its management of sustainable packaging by utilizing recycling systems and thereby reducing resource consumption. Through Build to Decarb, Schüco ensures the long-term competitiveness of its partners while also helping them reduce CO2 emissions.

Operate to Decarb – carbon-neutral operation

To achieve an optimal energy balance, Schüco also offers products and services that enable the operation of buildings in a highly efficient manner with reduced CO2 emissions. From intelligent building control systems and highly thermally insulated envelopes to energy generation through integrated photovoltaics, all significantly contribute to reducing CO2 emissions during building use. With IoF ID (Internet of Façades), a label attached to a window, door, or façade unit that allows digital access to product information, maintenance can be efficiently planned and executed. This ensures the long-term sustainable operation of the building and also extends the lifespan of installed systems. Schüco, like many of its partners, also offers after-sales service. This ensures that the units retain their value and their lifespan is extended.

Recycle to Decarb – recycling contributes to reducing carbon emissions

Cradle to Cradle certification ensures that used products become a raw material reserve for the future. The goal of this concept is for all materials to be recyclable and reusable as new raw materials at the end of their life cycle. This means that systems with Cradle-to-Cradle certification meet the requirements of the circular economy, which politicians attribute great importance to in order to achieve climate neutrality as part of the European Green Deal. In terms of implementing the Cradle-to-Cradle principle in construction, Schüco currently leads with over 60 certified aluminum systems. This contributes to the long-term reduction of carbon emissions and resource conservation. As a founding member of A|U|F, Schüco committed to the ecological recycling and reuse of aluminum as early as 1995. Schüco's PVC-U products also contribute to the circular economy and CO2 emission reductions. This has been confirmed by awarding the VinylPlus® product label, which Schüco was the first in the industry to receive. To facilitate the circular economy, Schüco provides its PVC-U sector partners with an exclusive recycling service for old windows and profile offcuts through its company RE:CORE.

In order for buildings to be effectively used as raw material reserves for the future, it is necessary to have information on where components and materials are located within the building and what their environmental impact is. This can be achieved using the Madaster platform, an online database of materials and products. This facilitates the reuse of installed materials and is another step towards establishing a circular economy in construction.

Consulting, solutions, and services from a single source

With Schüco Carbon Control, Schüco systems can be tailored to address complex decarbonization conditions. Carbon Control allows investors, architects, and manufacturers to actively monitor CO2 values based on specific projects, thereby helping the construction industry achieve climate neutrality.