Energy and emissions
SG Armaturen works continuously to reduce the company's direct environmental footprint.
We do this by producing our own electricity, by taking measures for efficient energy management and by making thoughtful transport choices.
Solar panels
SG Armaturen largely covers our own energy needs using solar energy. So far, we have installed 2,000 solar panels on the roof of our head office in Lillesand, with more to come. When the factory in China is soon to be upgraded, it will also have solar panels on the roof.
We're looking at the possibility of doing the same at several of our other locations. Smart energy measures such as geothermal heating and good power management systems mean that we have low energy consumption.
SG Armaturen keeps climate accounts that give us an overview of our total greenhouse gas emissions. We enter our data and receive reports showing our carbon footprint in the various areas. The climate accounts highlight which of our activities generate the most greenhouse gases and enable us to set targets and implement methods to reduce them.
In 2019, SG Armaturen's head office was certified through the Eco-Lighthouse environmental certification scheme, which has a 30-year history in Norway and is recognised by the EU. The certificate is valid as documentation in public tenders where EMAS or other environmental management systems are required. Eco-Lighthouse tools are used to identify specific and significant measures to reduce the company's carbon footprint. We report annually on the company's significant environmental factors, which are then calculated as CO2 equivalents. The certification has been instrumental in our investment in solar panels, smart power systems, electric cars and chargers, and waste sorting.
Transport
Since our largest factory is located in China, while our head office and market is in Europe, there is a lot of greenhouse gas emissions to be saved by making good transport choices. By filling containers in China that are transported by boat all the way to Kristiansand, the greenhouse gas footprint per unit is less than 1% of the product's total environmental footprint. This also avoids wastage and breakage during reloading.
However, it is inevitable that some freight travels by road on trucks. Every day, containers from China arrive at our warehouse in Lillesand, and every day lorries leave Lillesand for wholesalers around Europe. The aim is to switch these to emission-free energy sources.
