Embodied carbon emissions in building materials is the next frontier in significantly reducing the Australian building and construction sector’s climate impact. Manufacturers can take responsibility by monitoring carbon emissions and taking action to reduce or offset the embodied carbon of their products.

In the latest step in their sustainability journey, Autex Acoustics is proud to announce that they are the first company in the interior acoustics industry to have reduced and balanced all carbon emissions from business operations, including manufacturing, and acoustic products to zero.

For over 50 years, Autex has been designing, developing and manufacturing innovative acoustics for the built environment. The company has a long history with sustainability, being among early adopters of Life Cycle Assessments in 2010, and honouring an ongoing commitment to providing products and services that contribute to WELL Building, LEED, Green Star, and BREEAM certification.

“We are facing a climate emergency and there’s never been a more pressing time to act on climate change,” says Kirk Schmidt, General Manager of Autex Acoustics, Australia. “Creating sustainable products has always been at the heart of what we do, and we are proud to now be carbon neutral in everything we do.”

To achieve operational carbon neutrality, Autex takes control and assesses every step of the life cycle from cradle to gate, including increasing efficiency of product lines, minimising the production of waste, and reusing the majority of offcuts from their manufacturing lines. Autex products contain between 45% to 80% recycled polyester fibre, repurposing plastic that would otherwise end up in landfill in their raw materials. Overall, more than 200 tons of waste trimmings are upcycled into new products and more than 40 tons are reused by other local manufacturers.

Autex’s journey did not happen overnight, but started with the carbon neutral project initiative that enabled the company to turn any greenhouse gas emissions associated with the supply, manufacture and delivery of all Autex products into United Nations (UN) certified carbon credits that contribute to climate change projects around the world.

The next evolution came with the release of Autex’s first entirely carbon neutral product, Acoustic Timber, shortly followed by their commitment to carbon neutrality across the entire product range and operations as standard in 2021.

“We are proud to supply the industry with entirely carbon neutral acoustic solutions,” Schmidt explains. “Our focus for the future is to maintain our position as a carbon neutral organisation and lead the industry to a more sustainable future in line with the UN’s target of reaching global net-zero by 2050.” 

To give customers assurance that the calculations and carbon credit process of carbon neutral claims are honest and accurate, Autex’s carbon data is independently audited and verified by industry experts on an annual basis. The company continues to monitor the embodied carbon of its products and reports the results through Environmental Product Declarations, and has an ISO-certified Environmental Management System in place.

As they look to the future, manufacturing a sustainable product is not enough for Autex. The company is committed to supporting customers on how to recycle their products at the end of their life cycle, and works closely with industry stakeholders on the best ways to install, use and maintain their products.

Autex Acoustics

autexglobal.com

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