Hambleside Danelaw advises contractors and specifiers to ask twelve key questions before buying

Manufacturer Hambleside Danelaw has produced guidance notes on how developers and contractors can work together to meet environmental standards.

Contractors are advised to ask twelve questions when sourcing materials, including the manufacturer鈥檚 environmental policies, the products environmental impact, the source of the product and whether it can be recycled at the end of its life. The firm launched the guidance at the opening of a new factory in Daventry, opened by local MP Tim Boswell.

The recommendations are designed for product manufacturers, designers, contractors, sub-contractors and developers to follow when ordering building materials, in order to ensure that buildings constructed to the highest possible environmental standard. This is hoped to run through the build and throughout the service life of the building.

Hambleside Danelaw manufactures Glass Reinforced Polyester rooflights and other roofing and ventilation products. In addition to winning numerous environmental awards, the factory has attained BS 14001:2004 in recognition of its environmental management systems and has now been independently assessed as carbon neutral.

The Group has been recently accredited with the Planet Positive mark by leading carbon solutions company dcarbon8 and last week it collected the Scottish Natural Heritage Award for Excellence in Environmental Sustainability at a Scottish Council for Development and Industry Highlands and Islands awards ceremony.

Referring to the Group鈥檚 commitment to innovation which earned it a Queen鈥檚 Award for Enterprise last year, Hambleside Danelaws chairman David Yellop said: 鈥淲e are presently conducting research and development to harness the benefits associated with solar energy into building products 鈥� an exciting project that is likely to change the way we construct domestic and industrial roofs in the future. We are also working with agencies associated with disaster relief to manufacture and supply easily portable shelter accommodation to assist in the world鈥檚 areas of disaster.鈥�

Questions that developers and contractors who are involved in new build and refurbishment projects should ask:

  • Are the manufacturer鈥檚 environmental policies independently verified?
  • Does the manufacturer incorporate its environmental policies into a wider corporate social responsibility policy?
  • Does the manufacturer have a greenhouse gas emission offset scheme?
  • Is that offset scheme independently certified and transferable to the customer?
  • Are the manufacturer鈥檚 carbon offset calculations independently verified?

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