Sustainability Appraisal - Kingspan Insulation - Kingspan Group PLC

1 IntroductionOve Arup and Partners (Arup) was commissioned byKingspan Insulation (Kingspan) to undertake asustainability appraisal of their Castleblayney facility inCounty Monaghan, Ireland to evaluate their operationalperformance. Sustainability appraisals have beenundertaken on an annual basis at Kingspan’s sistercompany at Pembridge, Herefordshire since 2004.National Botanic Gardens, DublinThe environmental credentials of high performanceCFC/HCFC-free and zero ODP rigid urethane and phenolicproducts from Kingspan Insulation, made KingspanThermawall ® , Kingspan Thermafloor and KingspanKooltherm ® pitched roof insulation, the natural choice forthe new visitor centre and restaurant at Dublin’s NationalBotanic Gardens.The purpose of this appraisal is to provide anevaluation of the sustainability of the current operationson the site and to highlight opportunities to improveits performance.The sustainability of the site was appraised usingthe Sustainable Project Appraisal Routine (SPeAR ® )tool developed by Arup. SPeAR ® allows thesustainability of a project, plan, or product to beappraised and illustrated graphically. The assessmentallows optimisation of the key elements ofsustainability; environmental, social, economic andnatural resource use.The primary goal of the application of SPeAR ® is toidentify areas that can provide real benefits andimprovements to current operational performance.The appraisal highlights and compares the strengthsand opportunities for improvement, and will help tolead performance improvements. The assessment canalso be used as a starting point to demonstrate toboth internal (executive management, project team,etc.) and external (planning authority, insurers, public,etc.) stakeholders the overall performance of theproposed development in terms of sustainability.This report presents the results of the SPeAR ®appraisal and discusses the strengths andopportunities, in sustainability terms, of the existing siteand operations at Castleblayney. Recommendationsfor improvements are also included. The baselineappraisal is a comparison with legislation andrecognised best practice within the chemical–basedinsulation product industry.45

2 Site DescriptionKingspan Insulation is located just outside the historictown of Castleblayney.The area around Castleblayney is rich in history andleisure amenities. Within walking distance of the townlies Lough Muckno, the largest lake in the county anda popular all year round fishing venue.Kingspan Insulation is located on a small industrialpark in a semi–rural area on the outskirts ofCastleblayney town, County Monaghan. The site wasoriginally built on greenfield land designated forindustrial purposes and has recently undergoneexpansion to include incorporation of adjacentindustrial units whose former uses include a dry foodstorage facility.Redevelopment of the site office is planned tocommence later this year, however these proposalsare not included in the appraisal.67

3 Background to SPeAR ®SPeAR has been developed by Arup as a frameworkthat assists in the appraisal of sustainability issuesrelating to an organisation, project, plan or product.County Hall Headquarters, FingalFingal County Council was keen to have a new building in theheart of its area to help return community focus.Energy efficiency was one of the key aims of the new buildingdesign. Kooltherm ® wall and Soffit insulation products whereselected as they met the high standards required for both thebuildings energy performance and safety requirements of a publicbuilding, providing a Class 0 fire rated insulation core andnegligible smoke emission.The appraisal system has been developed byspecialists within all of the fields of sustainability withthe aim of making sustainability meaningful to a widerange of stakeholders. The tool is founded on theUK Government’s set of sustainability indicators(DEFRA 2004) and its sustainability strategy ‘Securingthe Future’ (2005), United Nations EnvironmentProgramme (UNEP) indicators, and the GlobalReporting Initiative (GRI) indicators.SPeAR has its origin in the recognition of the linkagesbetween economic, social, natural resources andenvironmental systems and allows the sustainability ofa project to be measured and illustrated graphically.The key output of the appraisal will be a sustainabilitydiagram based on the template shown below.The purpose of the diagram is to combine thegraphical format of all of the diverse issues that needto be considered to assess sustainability, including thesocial, economic, natural resource and environmentalissues. The diagram will show challenges as well aspositive effects.Behind the diagram is a series of detailed worksheets,with over 120 sub–indicators of social, economic,natural resource and environmental performance.Information shown on the SPeAR diagram is a directreflection of the quality of information available at thetime of data collection, which is used to complete theworksheets. The nature of some of the indicatorsassessed means that the appraisal consists of bothquantitative and qualitative values. To ensure that theappraisal is robust, the status of all indicators isachieved through consensus with the professionalteam. This approach ensures that the findings of theappraisal are the result of consideration of all factors indeciding the ranking allocated to each indicator.The four sectors of SPeAR and their accompanyingindicators are not weighted, and the outcome of theSPeAR appraisal therefore reflects the utilisation of anunweighted indicator set.89

4 MethodologyIn order to assess the sustainability of theCastleblayney facility, an understanding of the existingoperations is required. This will provide a baseline forcomparison with future assessments. The baselineassessment measures the sustainability of the site andits operations at the end of April 2007, and based oninformation gathered and assessed by a team ofindependent sustainability specialists. It involved thefollowing steps:1. A review of the core indicators of the SPeARframework to ensure their continued applicabilityto this operation and to ensure that no additionalindicators were required2. A review of the existing site, its operation andrelevant documentationA stakeholder workshop on 17 April 2007with the professional team and clientrepresentatives, to review the draft appraisaland discuss any information gaps.4. Undertaking a sustainability appraisal to generatea ‘profile’ of sustainability performance5. Drafting the Sustainability Appraisal Report.This report documents the findings of theappraisal, discuss the findings in terms of thesustainability ‘profile’ and make specificrecommendations to further strengthen thesustainability performance of the projectthroughout the project life–cycle.The following documents were reviewed during theappraisal including amongst others:● Waste and Recycling trends data● Annual Environmental Report (2006)● Environmental Management Programme(objectives and targets)● Accidents Statistics● Kingspan Policy Booklet● Kingspan Safety Statement and Chemical Safetyat Work booklets● Great Place to work, Trust Index: SurveyResponse Overview● IPC permit applications● Employee Medical Questionnaire.Castlemagner, Co. CorkThis ‘A’ rated house is one of 70 dwellings in the residentialscheme known as Churchfield, in County Cork, in whichcustomers are given the opportunity to upgrade to an ‘A’ ratedenergy efficient home.1011

5 DiscussionThe baseline appraisal was conducted to assess thesustainability of current operational performance at theCastleblayney site and the resulting diagram is shownin Figure 4.1 below. The baseline appraisal is acomparison with legislation and recognised bestpractice. It was based on available information anddiscussion with key client representatives and wasundertaken using all indicators for environmental,societal, economic and natural resources, with thefollowing exceptions that were deemed not to beapplicable to this project. It is not unusual for a limitednumber of indicators to be deemed not applicable, dueto the site specific nature of sustainability appraisals.●Public and Private Realm: This sustainabilityindicator relates to the opportunities to enhanceappropriate public recreational spaces alongwith private recreational space. This indicator isnot applicable as public access to the site isrestricted for security reasons.The appraisal was based on the information availablein May 2007 and through discussion with key clientrepresentatives.From the baseline appraisal, a number of strengthsand weaknesses can be identified within each of thefour sectors. These are described in the followingsections and a summary table of strong areas andareas of opportunity for improvement is given for eachsegment. It is not unusual for baseline appraisals tohave a number of areas of weaknesses, as issues ofsustainability would not have been considered in pastdevelopment or operational decision–making. Suchappraisals are not a criticism of current performancebut more a recognition of the issues to be addressedwhen considering sustainable development.The Castleblayney site has reached its development capacity.There are currently no plans to develop the Kingspan landadjacent the factory.Figure 4.1: Baseline SPeAR Appraisal Diagram 200712 13

5 Discussion5.1 EnvironmentEnvironmental sustainability is about maintaining thequality of the environment through a clearunderstanding of environmental effects, sensitivitiesand alternative solutions. This section discusseswhether and how the site has continued to limit itsnegative environmental impact, and takesopportunities to maximise its positive environmentalimpact. Within the context and scope of the appraisalthe following needs have been considered:Indoor air quality and dust are monitored regularly. Sources ofdust are fitted with appropriate mitigation technology includingfilters and cyclone extraction systems.●●●●●●Maintenance and protection of air quality;Sustainable land use;Maintenance and protection of water quality;Protection and enhancement of natural andcultural heritage;Sustainable design and operation;Promotion of sustainable transport options.Key Strengths●●●●Application of Best Practical Environmental Option(BPEO) for air emissions;Environmental Management System, accreditedto ISO14001 and utilised to improve operationalefficiencies;Design of new development to maximise use ofnatural daylight;Located in small industrial zone.Areas of Opportunity●●●●●●Further control of dust and particulates withinfactory building;Implement a green transport plan for freight;Provide incentives to encourage car sharing;Establish or enhance habitats with biodiversityvalue, nearby or off–site;Minimise indirect emissions from traffic generation;Replace forklifts with LPG / electric poweredvehicles when lease is finished.5.1.1 Air QualitySources of local air pollution are minimal although theymay include emissions from the plastics recyclingcompany neighbouring the Kingspan plant andfrom traffic congestion in the local town centre.Kingspan contribute to this congestion and trafficemissions through vehicle movements to and fromsite, estimated to be in the region of 60 deliveries toand from site per day. Emissions to air are monitoredregularly as required by IPPC legislation and permits.Indoor air quality is monitored regularly both forparticulates of dust and Methylene–diphenyldisocyanate (MDI) fumes. There have not been anyreported breaches of emissions limits in the past 5years. All forklift trucks apart from one which is electricare powered by diesel, which produces particulateemissions when burned. Dust inside the factory ismonitored on a regular basis and sources of dust arefitted with appropriate mitigation technology includingfilters and cyclone extraction systems. A high level ofdust in the atmosphere and on surfaces inside thefactory was noticeable during the site visit.The sites products have used Pentane, a zero OzoneDepletion Potential blowing agent since January 2004,with the exception of a very small quantity of productsmanufactured for export markets where an HCFCblowing agent is demanded. It is not known whethersome chemical coolers and chillers used on site maycontain HCFCs.5.1.2 Land UseThe majority of the site is built on previously Greenfieldland, which was designated by local planning authorityfor industrial use. Since operations started on the sitein 1976 there have been several extensions to thefactory which has included the purchase of a numberof adjacent industrial units and a small amount ofpreviously unused Greenfield land.There is an amount of mixed uses on site, includingshop floor, warehouse, loading bay, canteen and officeareas. The entire site is built on or covered andfollowing the latest extension of the site it has nowreached its development capacity, with no open spaceremaining within the site boundaries.1415

5 Discussion5.1.3 Water DischargeHistorically, the site is not susceptible to flooding;however as part of planning requirements for the newextension, an attenuation tank has been installed in theloading bay area to accommodate possible heavyrainfall and flash flooding. Once operational, surfacerun–off to the tank will pass through an oil interceptorprior to discharge into the foul sewerage system.The site has a strong history of regulatory compliance,although there have been some minor spillages in thepast. The oil interceptor located in the car park area isvisually checked on a regular basis for evidence ofcontamination and results of these checks recorded aspart of the company Integrated Management System(IMS). Effluent is discharged to foul drains using thecouncil sewerage system for treatment offsite.5.1.4 Natural & Cultural HeritageThere is practically no landscaping on site and norequirement for grounds maintenance as all availablespace is either used for factory units or is covered inhard standing. There has been some minimal plantingof trees on the site periphery to provide screening fromneighbouring residential properties. The companyowns a small area of currently unused land(1.5 acres) in close proximity to the site, however thisis difficult to access as a new road is being built inbetween this space and the Kingspan factory.There have been no archaeological surveysundertaken of the site to date and there have been noplanning obligations to conduct this type of survey forthe new development. Buildings of cultural or heritagevalue are not located on site, however the extension tothe factory required demolition of one disusedresidential property.Contamination surveys of the site have beenundertaken prior to purchase of additional land with noknown contamination found. All asbestos has beenremoved from site, with the exception of the officebuilding roof which is planned to be removed as partof office redevelopment later this year.5.1.5 Design & OperationA recent extension to the shop floor and warehousefacility, whilst not strictly using BREEAM criteria, hasused similar elements such as maximising the use ofnatural daylight through sky lighting and energyefficient artificial lighting, and the use of automaticroller shutter doors to reduce heat loss.Flexibility for future use has been incorporated intothe building layout wherever possible, for example,water tanks were removed from unit 2 in case of afuture requirement for an extension to link units 2 and3. Buildings are adapted or refurbished rather thanreplaced where possible. Plans for the officeredevelopment shall not require additional land takeand shall be extended vertically with the addition of asecond and third floor.The site was the first in the Kingspan Insulationgroup to gain accreditation to ISO14001Environmental Management System (EMS) and theirEMS has been recently integrated with their health andsafety management system and the qualitymanagement system. Environmental performance andoperational efficiencies are driven by the ‘plan, do,check and act’ model for continuous improvementused by all management system standards. Thecompany operations manager has overall responsibilityfor the EMS and there have been no major reportableenvironmental incidents in the last year.Kingspan Insulation was the first insulationmanufacturer to receive a BRE certified Life CycleAssessment LCA for their product. This wasundertaken for the Therma range of rigid urethanebuilding fabric insulation products manufactured at itsPembridge (UK) site. However, it can be assumed thatthe results of this LCA are applicable to productsmanufactured at Kingspan Castleblayney, as the sameraw materials, techniques and processes are used inmaking this product. A full review of results from anexternal energy audit will be undertaken when the newproduction line is fully operational at the end of 2007.Energy efficiency was key in the design of the new plantextension, which includes skylights to maximise the useof natural light, roller shutters to reduce heat loss andenergy efficient lighting.An Attenuation tank was installed in the loading bay toaccommodate heavy rainfall and flash flooding. Surfacerun-off to the tank will pass through an oil interceptorprior to entering the sewerage system.1617

5 Discussion5.1.6 TransportThe site is heavily dependant on road transport due toits semi rural–location and lack of alternative transportchoices. The majority of employees live within a 10mile radius of the site. Some employees car shareinformally and a small number who live in closeproximity to the site can walk or cycle. Narrow countrylanes and a lack of cycle paths surrounding the site isperceived as a barrier to encouraging more staff tocycle to work. There is a very limited private ‘national’bus service to Castleblayney town that does not servelocal outlying villages. The potential for car sharing islimited by varying shift patterns and by employeesliving in a wide and largely rural catchments.A lack of public transport in the semi-rural location meansemployees are largely dependent on private transport.The company has not considered formulating aGreen Transport Plan and there is little opportunity totake this further except for freight traffic. All freighttraffic is via road as there is no other viable option.There are approximately 60 vehicle movements toand from site daily, including an average 40 deliverytrips to customers. The nearest railway station forfreight is at Dundalk, County Louth almost 30 milesfrom Castleblayney.1819

5 Discussion5.2 SocialSocial sustainability involves improving the quality oflife through an understanding of the following issues inthe context and scope of the appraisal:●●●●●●Demonstration of social responsibility;Enhancement of the amenity value;Improvement of accessibility;Optimisation of form and space;Maximising stakeholder satisfaction;Consideration of health and wellbeing.Key Strengths●●●●●●Provision of employee training and skillsenhancement;Focus on customer satisfaction;Health and safety management system;Complaints reporting system;Pedestrian movement;Local community support.Areas of Opportunity●●●●●●Structured approach to local community supportand donations through the establishment of acommunity trust (see Pembridge);Consultation with the local community;Supply chain environmental purchasing policy;Specification of fair trade supplies for refreshmentsi.e. tea, coffee, sugar;Improve working conditions for employees whohave no control over their working temperatures;Establish an employee assistance program.Kingspan Insulation sponsor the annual Lough MucknoMusic Festival held in Castleblayney. The festival relies onthe support of local companies to provide a fun family day.5.2.1 Social ResponsibilityKingspan Insulation provides financial and practicalsupport to a wide range of community organisationsand activities, such as local sports teams and schoolfacilities. The marketing department has no setsponsorship budget and donations tend to be mostlyreactive to requests, rather than a structured approachto charitable giving. The company also sponsorsindividual employees participating in events to raisemoney for local charities. For the past three yearsKingspan has sponsored the annual ‘Muckno Mania’community arts and entertainment festival inCastleblayney town. They have also contributed stafftime and expertise to local schools through the ‘juniorachievement’ enterprise programme.The environmental performance of the Castleblayneysite is reported to the Irish Environmental ProtectionAgency on an annual basis and this information can beaccessed by the public via its website at www.epa.ie.There is little reporting on social performance and thecompany has kept a low profile in the local press.The Group Annual Report and financial statement for2006 strongly emphasises the environmental andsocial performance of Kingspan Group’s activities,however, as this was published after the agreedappraisal time frame, information contained in thisreport can not be used for the purposes of thisbaseline appraisal.Kingspan Insulation, Castleblayney has not adopted aspecific policy on ethical trading, although the GroupCode of Practice does set out key principles againstwhich the organisation is committed to adhering.This includes adherence with local regulation withregards competition in the marketplace. The companyhas not investigated whether timber used in palletsand pulp for paper is certified as being from asustainable source.2021

5 Discussion5.2.2 AmenityThe designs of the buildings are appropriate for anindustrial park, but are in contrast to the agriculturallandscape and residential properties surrounding oneside of the site. A small amount of tree planting alongthe site boundary helps to reduce visual impact fromneighbouring houses. There is no available no greenspace as the factory has reached its developmentcapacity, with the extension to the back of the siteonly marginally reducing access to a small area ofGreenfield land.There have been no traffic surveys conductedregarding the impact of the Kingspan factory.However, the site is likely to have a significant impacton local roads, owing to the frequency of deliveries toand from the site where in most cases vehicles arerequired to take a route through the town centre,which is considered to be a traffic bottleneck. A newbypass will be opening in 2007, which will be used byKingspan delivery vehicles and should help alleviatetraffic impacts on the local townNoise from traffic movements has the potential to bean issue to properties neighbouring the site, whichinclude recently built residential properties and otherindustrial premises. Noise is monitored on a regularbasis and there is no issue with statutory nuisance.There has been one reported breach with IPPC permitmonitoring thresholds in 2005 which was caused bysafety signals of forklift trucks in the loadingoperations. Measures have been undertaken toprevent noise potentially causing any statutorynuisance, including moving the loading bay area to theback of the site.5.2.3 AccessThe semi–rural location of the site and lack ofalternative options results in heavy reliance on privatetransport. Castleblayney town centre is just a shortwalk from the site, allowing easy access to localfacilities, including shops, banks and childcare.Canteen facilities are provided on site for both officestaff and the production workforce. Part of the site(ground floor of the office building) is accessible forphysically impaired people.A complaints system is operated through thecompany’s IMS communications log and includes forboth internal and external complaints. A complaintssummary is also provided as part of the annualenvironmental reporting requirements to theEnvironmental Protection Agency. The companyhas not received any complaints throughout 2005and 2006.Kingspan has ‘Excellence through People’ certification.Structured training plans exist for all employees,following skills analysis, appraisals and induction.Training plans are reviewed every three months andcover areas such as company policies and products,job specific operational procedures and mandatoryhealth and safety training. The company has offeredadditional learning support for literacy and numeracyskills to some employees in the past.In accordance with the Kingspan ElectronicCommunications Access Policy, all staff, workshop andlaboratory employees have e–mail and intranet access,though this is restricted to certain times of day.The extension to the N2 means traffic can bypass Castleblayneytown, eliminating the need for Kingspan delivery vehicles to drivethrough the town centre.The impact on neighbouring homes has also been easedthrough the development of the new site extension, which willallow trucks to enter and exit via separate driveways, reducingstanding traffic.2223

5 Discussion5.2.4 Form & SpaceThere is one security watchman employed on site andsecurity is not perceived to be an issue. CCTV andadditional security is planned for the new factoryextension when fully operational. All visitors anddeliveries are required to report to reception prior toaccess to site.The site is compact and pedestrian scale is considered,with some safe walking areas marked out, though thisis limited to inside the factory only. When the newextension is complete a new pedestrian walkway willbe demarcated.There have been no complaints due to lightingon site. The new development has requiredadditional lighting which has potential to impactupon neighbouring properties.5.2.5 Stakeholder SatisfactionThere is a degree of user control in office areas suchas adjustable thermostatic controls on radiators,windows which can be opened for natural ventilation,as well as access to the use of portable fans and airconditioning units when needed. The shop floor is keptat a constant temperature as is required by themanufacturing process in order to maintain consistentproduct quality.Office areas receive reasonable daylight via windows atthe front of the building. The use of skylights havebeen maximised in new warehouse and packagingareas. Indoor air quality is measured annually, with sixmonthly lung function tests required for operativesworking in the most hazardous areas. The companyhas an Employee Involvement Policy which activelyencourages employees to make suggestions forimprovements or changes as the need arises.The company has also participated in the Great Placeto Work survey during 2005 and 2006, with results fedback to all employees and a committee established toaddress results and areas for improvement.Kingspans Quality policy places a strong emphasison ensuring and measuring customer satisfaction.This is monitored on a continual basis through thereview of customer feedback comments, service anddelivery statistics, questionnaires and media reports.Furthermore the company has a formal mechanism(Integrated works procedure 49) for investigatingoverseas, domestic, credit related and environmentalcauses of complaints.5.2.6 Health & WellbeingThe site operates an Integrated Management Systemencompassing health and safety and has certificationto OHSAS 18001, since 2003. The company Safetystatement outlines the physical arrangements forsafety, including the assignment of responsibilities toindividuals. A risk assessment is undertaken annuallyto identify all potential hazards in the workplace.All accidents and incidents are systematically reported,investigated and discussed at Safety Committeemeetings. The number of reportable accidents hasremained fairly constant since 2001, with a smallincrease in 2006.All employees are required to complete apre–employment medical questionnaire to determinefitness for work. Some employees undergo ongoinghealth surveillance such as skin tests, lung functiontests, and eyesight and hearing tests. Support facilitiesprovided for employees on site include: access to thecompany doctor; annual visit from an occupationalhealth nurse, part–time working following maternityleave and flexibility to change shifts. Healthy eatingand wider health issues are actively promoted onnotice boards in the staff canteen and selected low fathealthy eating alternatives are also available.Employee figures for 2005 and 2006 indicate arelatively high staff turnover (average 17%) andabsenteeism is considered to be generally low.Hourly paid wages are benchmarked against those inthe local area to reduce staff turnover. There is a unionfor shop floor workers, of which all are members andthe company operates a Social Partnershipagreement. A pension scheme is available to all stafffollowing six months of permanent employment.There are three schemes; operatives; staff; seniormanagers and Divisional Directors, open to both fulltime and part–time employees working at least 20%of a normal full time week.The site has an Equality and Diversity Policy, whichoutlines employee’s responsibilities to eliminateunlawful discrimination, bullying and harassment inthe workplace.There are female employees in the company’smanagement and the workforce represents the socialand ethnic demographics of the area.Kingspan Insulation participated in the Great Place to Worksurvey in 2005 and 2006. The results were fed back to allemployees and a committee was established to address theresults and identify areas for improvement.2425

5 Discussion5.3 EconomicEconomic sustainability addresses the issue offinancial viability and wealth creation, and itsdistribution within and among communities.This section discusses how the following issues havebeen addressed:Fivemiletown High School, Co. TyroneKingspan Therma products were applied to the walls, floor androof of the Fivemiletown High School in Co Tyrone, during therecent eco-friendly refurbishment.●●●●Securing financial viability;Maximising competition effects;Increasing employment / skills base;Reduced dependency on travel and promotionof public transport systems.Key StrengthsAreas of Opportunity●●●●Use of local service suppliers where possible;Disaster planning and crisis managementprocedures;Quality Management Systems;Investment in skills, with a focus on long termneeds;Apprenticeships.●●●Expenditure on improving environment, health andsafety performance;Consider adopting an ethical purchasing policy,stipulating purchase of fair trade goods;Introduce a policy for specification of low emissionpool cars and hire cars.●5.3.1 ViabilityThe business is considered to be financially sound.Latest figures from the Group Annual Report andFinancial Statement 2006 show the Panels and BoardsDivision have an 18% financial growth between 2005and 2006. Expenditure on improving environmentalperformance and was not available, however processchanges are driven primarily by cost and operationalefficiencies and then by environmental considerations.Waste, water, and energy bills are monitored on aregular basis. The company has recently invested in anew production line that will use the most efficienttechnology available.Research and Development (R&D) initiatives areundertaken at the Pembridge site on behalf ofKingspan Castleblayney. R&D is considered critical bythe company, to allow them be the market leader inhigh quality insulation products and to maintainKingspans market position. The Kingspan Group plansto spend 40 Million Euros on R&D activities over thenext five years. Furthermore, the company’s insulationproducts play a key role in the thermal design ofenergy efficient buildings and ultimately will contributeto the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions globally.26All forklift trucks are leased and company cars arebought. Up to six local haulage contractors are usedfor deliveries, and the company has purchased‘Kingspan’ sidings for the majority of HGVs used bythe company. Vending machines and photocopiers arealso leased. The marketing department out–sourcesdesign print and public relations requirements via thePembridge site.Customers are increasingly requesting informationabout the environmental impacts of the productsmanufacture and life cycle, especially since theintroduction of stricter Building Regulations in Irelandlast year. This information, including COSHHassessments and Material Safety Data Sheets MSDSis available to customers upon request. A generaloverview of the sustainability benefits of variousinsulation products is provided in the Information forSustainability Guide and more specific information onKingspan products is contained in the BRE KingspanTherma range Life Cycle Analysis and Eco–profile.According to the BRE Green Guide to Specificationthe sites main product has a long lifecycle and has an‘A’ rating. Historically the product tends to beland–filled however the company is able to advise thecustomer on options for reuse and alternative methodsof disposal.27

5 Discussion5.3.1 Viability ContinuedA crisis management plan is in place, and includesinsurance to cover this, though this does not includeloss of material supply. Provision is also made for baddebts and warranties; however it does not specificallycover potential environmental liabilities. The companyhas also developed an Emergency Plan for the sitewhich identifies potential environmental hazards suchas chemical storage and drainage which is testedperiodically as required by ISO14001.5.3.2 Competition EffectsKingspan provides a significant benefit to the localeconomy, with the majority of its employees livinglocally. It is a major employer in the area and a widerange of employment opportunities are available at thesite. The Kingspan Code of Conduct commits thecompany to act responsibly with all stakeholders, bethey investors, customers, suppliers or the community.Kingspan has a payment policy and a good reputationregarding payment of its suppliers. Whilst there is noformal written policy stipulating local supply, this doestend to occur in practice wherever possible e.g. P.P.E,stationary, bathroom supplies and lease of vendingmachines. Group and divisional purchasing agreementsdictate the supply of a large proportion of Kingspan’sraw materials, chemicals and packaging, the majority ofwhich is shipped in from outside Ireland. Kingspan hasdeveloped an Ethical Purchasing Policy stipulating fairtrade supplies at its Pembridge site however this hasnot as yet been adopted at Castleblayney.5.3.3 Employment / SkillsKingspan employs 112 people and a further 39indirectly through its haulage contractors. There are awide range of employment opportunities on site,including administration, sales, and technical positions.The majority of the workforce is local and the companyreceives a number of CVs requesting employment.New positions are advertised both internally andexternally, with specialist and technical vacanciesnormally advertised via recruitment agencies.The majority of the sites contractors are also local tothe region and include electrical maintenance,construction, haulage and some training providers.Kingspan takes on up to four work experiencestudents per year, and there are opportunities forapprenticeships, covering technical and productionaspects of product manufacture.The majority of materials are sourced from outsidethe county and Ireland, and for certain materials andchemicals there is no alternative to sourcing fromoverseas due to their specialist nature and lack oflocal availability.Kingspan has Excellence through People certificationand there is a strong focus on training and skills.A large amount of training provided is grant funded bythe Irish Government through the FORSE Programme,as the company is eligible owing to the sites locationand proximity to the border with Northern Ireland.There is a training plan for employee development anda training needs analysis is integrated into theemployee appraisal system. The company hassponsored further education for its employees in thepast, such as supporting an employee to complete aBusiness degree.5.3.4 TransportDue to its semi rural location and the nature of thebusiness, the site is dependant on the need to travelfor employees, deliveries and distribution of products.There are no public transport alternatives to the site,and therefore employees are largely dependant onprivate transport.Opportunities to use rail transport as an alternative toroad transport are limited and have not been explored;however a freight depot does exist 30 miles away atDundalk, Co. Louth, the location for the Groups HeadOffice. No traffic surveys have been undertaken todate to measure the impact of the site on local roadinfrastructure and communities.Odyssey Centre, BelfastThe Stunning Odyssey Indoor Arena in Belfast is a Landmarkproject, designed to achieve significant Social and Economic goals.15,000 square metres of Kingspan Thermaroof TR26 LPC/FM,CFC/HCFC free High performance Insulation were used on theroof of the Odyssey Centre, W5 interactive science discoverycentre and commercial pavilion.2829

5 Discussion5.4 Natural ResourcesA key objective of sustainable development is to usenatural resources more efficiently. Non–renewableresources need to be used efficiently and anyalternatives to them should be utilised whereverpossible. This section considers:County Council offices, MeathKingspan Thermataper ® insulation was used for the flatroof system of the Meath County Council office to addressthe problem of rainwater run off.●●●●Materials specification and use;Water use and supply;Energy use and supply;Waste hierarchy.Key Strengths●●●Focus on energy efficiency and monitoring;Focus on waste avoidance, reduction, re–useand recycling;Extensive refurbishment and adaptation ofexisting buildings.Areas of Opportunity●●●●Consider specifying recycled paper or FSCcertificated paper for office areas;Investigate renewable energy sources;Consider retro–fitting skylights in some worksbuildings;Investigate feasibility of installing water savingdevices in new development and offices.5.4.1 MaterialsThe construction of the new factory extension requiredadditional raw materials to be used as there were noopportunities to reuse any existing materials on site.The product is run to a minimum density, whilemaintaining product properties and quality. There areongoing programmes to minimise waste, energy andmaterials use, which is driven by the company’s IMSthrough the objectives and targets set as part of itsEnvironmental Management Plan. Opportunities toreuse and recycle process and packaging wastes arealso sought wherever possible. Examples include;virtual elimination of wooden pallets on productpackaging through installation of a new productwrapping system using polystyrene skids; investmentin a new cooling line, which has removed the need forcardboard inserts between insulation boards prior todistribution. Kingspan is also working with its sistercompany at Pembridge to find an alternative use ormarket for particulate bricks, an unavoidable wasteby–product of the production process. A small amountof raw materials are also from recycled sources.Local materials are purchased wherever possible,including locally fabricated steel; however this is limitedby the specific raw materials needed for production.Cement used in the new development has comefrom a local supplier called Roadstone based inCastleblayney, Ireland.The site has not investigated which of its raw materialscome from sustainable sources. A life cycle analysishas been utilised, however Kingspan has yet to adoptthe sustainable procurement policy that has beenimplemented at the Pembridge site. There iscontinuing research and development in this area atPembridge on behalf of Castleblayney operations.5.4.2 Water UsePractically no water is used in the production processexcept for testing purposes and the main use of wateron site is for canteen and toilet facilities. Waterconsumption is recorded via analysis of monthly bills,however water loss is not normally monitored andthere have been no measures implemented to reducewater consumption on site.Rainwater runoff is via surface water drains and oilinterceptors are visually checked on a regular basis forsigns of contamination. Sewerage is discharged to thelocal council sewerage system. Kingspans water is100% municipal supply and the feasibility for rainwaterharvesting has not been investigated.3031

5 Discussion5.4.3 EnergyEnergy is supplied from 100% non renewable sources,principally diesel, kerosene and electricity generatedfrom conventional power plant through combustion offossil fuels off site. However there have been someinitial investigations into the potential to use windpower though installation of a wind turbine on landadjacent to the factory. A solar thermal hot watersystem is also being actively considered for the newoffice development. Recent initiatives include the reuseand filtering of excess hot air from the manufacturingprocess to heat the warehouse area and the companyis currently attempting to quantify the reduction inheating demand gained from this use.There is a strong awareness of the need to reduceenergy use on site, with energy efficiency measuresconsidered key as part of the IPPC permit application(currently under review as a result of site expansion).Kingspan also commissioned an independent EnergyAudit of site operations in October 2006, furtherdemonstrating its ongoing commitment to energyreduction. A number of audit recommendations havebeen considered when planning the new line andwarehouse development, including the use of energyefficient intelligent lighting and maximising availabledaylight. Artificial lighting is used across the site, andthere are occupancy–controlled switches on thefactory floor. Natural daylight is maximised in someareas of the site through the use of skylights in thenew warehouse and packaging areas, which isequivalent to 12.5% of the roof area.Energy cost per cubic meter is measured and lowenergy technology has been specified in the newproduction line. There are 11 forklifts on site and oneshunter outside in the yard which are all dieselpowered apart from one which is electric. Preventativemaintenance systems ensure electrical equipment isreplaced when required.5.4.4 Waste HierarchyKingspan has a policy for the protection of theenvironment, which outlines the organisationscommitment to minimise waste, the efficient use ofnatural resources and the use where possible ofcleaner technologies. Measures to reduce productionwaste include stricter control on the intake of trialchemicals to reduce waste from leftovers andelimination of pallets (waste generated by customer)through installation of new wrapping system usingpolystyrene skids. Additionally cardboard sheetspreviously used to separate insulation boards havebeen eliminated following installation of a new coolingline, resulting in an estimated saving of 100 thousandeuros per year.Materials are segregated for reuse or recyclingwherever possible. There is a system in place torecycle timber, metal, plastic and cardboard. EmptyIndustrial Bulk containers (IBC) are returned to thesupplier for reuse and leasing of a cardboardcompacter on site further reduces the volume ofcardboard for recycling. Office recycling includesIT equipment, fluorescent tubes, phones, and paperand ink cartridges. The company is aware of thedestination of all of its waste streams throughoperation of the company’s EMS. Overall waste sentto landfill, including product off–cuts has increasedover the past three years, primarily as a result ofincreased production. Over the same time period theamount of hazardous waste disposed of hasdecreased. The company is monitoring the usage ofspill mats and other contaminated materials as part ofefforts to further reduce the amount of Hazardouswaste sent to landfill.Although the product has not been designedspecifically for its end of life, it will not deteriorateduring its expected lifespan (approximately 60 years).Research has shown that as much as 70% of theproduct could potentially be recycled but a marketdoes not exist for this at present.Materials are segregated for reuse or recyclingwherever possible. There is a system in place torecycle timber, metal, plastic and cardboard.3233

6 RecommendationsThe baseline SPeAR ® diagram shows a well balancedperformance in terms of sustainability, and thatKingspan is already meeting legislation for bestpractice in the large majority of areas. In some casesKingspan is starting to move beyond best practice.However, the appraisal process also identifies anumber of opportunities for further improvement.Some of the opportunities are to bring Kingspan up tothe level of best practice in these areas, others are topush the boundaries and move further beyond currentbest practice towards becoming industry leaders insustainable development.The main opportunities for improvement andrecommendations for addressing these are highlightedin Table 1 below. Some of these are quick wins, whileothers will take longer and the precise actions requiredmay change over time. There will always beopportunities for improvement, as sustainabledevelopment is a process of continual improvement.Table 6.1 RecommendationsIssue Recommendations Section Kingspan ResponseDust and particulate matterRefrigeration / ozone depletersBiodiversity and conservationUse of BREEAM on siteGreen Transport Plan / freight trafficCommunity involvement and sponsorshipUndertake visual monitoring of the works areas morefrequently to ensure a good level of housekeeping ismaintained.Introduce a policy to ensure that any new chemical coolers orchillers purchased do not contain HFCs.Assess sites for use of ozone depleting substances andphasing–out where necessary.Consider supporting local conservation groups and seekopportunities to enhance biodiversity off–site (limits on siteacknowledged).Investigate the potential to install an area of green roof, as ameans of encouraging biodiversity on site.Consider utilising BREEAM criteria for refurbishment orconstruction of any future buildings.Work with local haulage companies to develop a GreenTransport Plan, with particular respect to freight. E.g. includethe monitoring and targeting of vehicle mpg, mileage and fuelcosts, vehicle utilisation, vehicle specification, payloadperformance and feasibility of using clean fuels. This couldinclude appointing a designated fuel champion.Actively offer corporate sponsorship to local groups andorganisations, rather than responding reactively to requests forassistance, targeting villages where employees live that do notcurrently receive assistance.Consider establishing a charitable trust, to provide a morestructured approach to financial giving.5.1.1 Increase frequency of monitoring to once per shift.5.1.1 A policy has been put in place and is being implemented to ensure HFC’s are not contained in any coolingequipment.5.1.4 A list of local groups is currently being sought.The potential to install a green roof will be considered as part of the new office construction.5.1.5 Consideration will be given to utilising BREEAM in the development of the new offices.5.1.6 All transport is sub–contracted. A meeting will be convened with hauliers to address what can be achieved.5.2.1 All employees will be encouraged to put forward any requests to the Management Team for consideration atthe monthly management meeting. It will be included in the meeting agenda.3435

6 RecommendationsIssue Recommendations Section Kingspan ResponseSupply chain and purchasing policyAccess for the physically impairedReportingHuman rightsWater supplyEnergy supplyOn–site transport energy sourceRecyclingIntroduce an environmental purchasing policy (as used atPembridge), to include ethical trading and use of localsuppliers / contractors / materials wherever possible.Check with suppliers and ensure that all timber is FSCcertificated and ask them to provide evidence that it isobtained from sustainable sources.Introduce a requirement for all timber and timber productsused on site to be FSC certificated.Expand supplier questionnaire to require Tier 2 suppliers todemonstrate how they are improving not only SHEperformance but also their wider sustainability performancee.g., ethical trading, reduction of resource use, low emissionvehicle fleet, waste reduction, reuse and recycling.Access arrangements should be reviewed to checkcompliance with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) Part III,which came into effect in October 2004, and ensurecontingency plans are in place where access is not readilyavailable.Request to make a regular contribution as part of Division’scontribution to the parent company’s annual financial report,on sustainability issues, i.e. SPeAR appraisal results.Consider formulating and implementing a formal humanrights policy.Investigate use of rainwater or grey water for toilet flushing andother non–potable uses.Install water saving devices in the canteen and toilet facilitieswith special consideration for new office development, e.g.,low spray taps and water reduction devices for toilet cisterns.Carry out full viability studies for wind energy andbiomass–fuelled combined heat and power (CHP) plant, takinginto account whole life cycle costs and benefits.Continue to investigate the feasibility of using wind power,through installation of wind turbines on land adjacent to the site.Consider the feasibility of switching to electric or LPG poweredforklift trucks.Investigate further opportunities for recycling office andcanteen waste; including organic waste and plastics (bottles,cups etc).5.2.1 Procedures for Castleblayney will be introduced similar to Pembridge in the UK.5.2.1 Current suppliers will be audited to establish if they are FSC compliant.Examine the existing questionnaire and amend for Tier 2 suppliers.5.2.1 These arrangements are already included in the new Castleblayney office design.5.2.1 A review will be carried out at local management meetings & reported to the Kingspan Insulation division.5.2.6 All current employment law’s will be strictly adhered to.5.4.2 Consideration will be given for all new developments.Consideration will be given for new offices.5.4.2 A study will be carried out for consideration in 2009 / 2010.Wind power has already been considered and planning will not be offered for our location.5.4.3 Castleblayney will consider upgrading to LPG at the next contract review.5.4.4 Consideration will be given to further recycling.3637

Blanchardstown, Fingal3,000 square metres of Kingspan Kooltherm ® K10 Soffit board waschosen for this V16 million Blanchardstown Commercial andResidential Development, to meet the high thermal standardsrequired for this project.Designed for use under the structural ceiling of the car park toinsulate it from the first floor of the apartments, this lightweightproduct achieves a thermal conductivity as low as 0.021 W/m . K.3839

Contact DetailsCustomer ServiceFor quotations, order placement and details of despatches pleasecontact the Kingspan Insulation Customer Service Department onthe numbers below:Ireland – Tel: +353 (0) 42 97 54298– Fax: +353 (0) 42 97 54299– email: commercial.ie@insulation.kingspan.comLiterature & SamplesKingspan Insulation produces a comprehensive range of technicalliterature for specifiers, contractors, stockists and end users.The literature contains clear ‘user friendly’ advice on typicaldesign; design considerations; thermal properties; siteworkand product data.Available as a complete Design Manual or as individual productbrochures, Kingspan Insulation technical literature is an essentialspecification tool. For copies please contact the KingspanInsulation Marketing Department on the numbers below:Ireland – Tel: +353 (0) 42 97 54200– Fax: +353 (0) 42 97 54299– email: literature.ie@insulation.kingspan.comTapered RoofingFor technical guidance, quotations, order placement anddetails of despatches please contact the Kingspan InsulationTapered Roofing Department on the numbers below:Ireland – Tel: +353 (0) 42 97 54297– Fax: +353 (0) 42 97 54296– email: tapered.ie@insulation.kingspan.comTechnical Advice / DesignKingspan Insulation supports all of its products with acomprehensive Technical Advisory Service for specifiers, stockistsand contractors.This includes a computer–aided service designed to give fast,accurate technical advice. Simply phone the Kingspan InsulationTechnical Service Department with your project specification.Calculations can be carried out to provide U–values, condensation/ dew point risk, required insulation thicknesses etc… Thereafterany number of permutations can be provided to help you achieveyour desired targets.The Kingspan Insulation Technical Service Department can alsogive general application advice and advice on design detailing andfixing etc... Site surveys are also undertaken as appropriate.Please contact the Kingspan Insulation Technical ServiceDepartment on the numbers below:Ireland – Tel: +353 (0) 42 97 54297– Fax: +353 (0) 42 97 54296– email: techline.ie@insulation.kingspan.comGeneral EnquiriesFor all other enquiries contact Kingspan Insulation on thenumbers below:Ireland – Tel: +353 (0) 42 97 95000– Fax: +353 (0) 42 97 54299– email: info.ie@insulation.kingspan.comKingspan Insulation Ltd. reserves the right to amend product specifications without priornotice. Product thicknesses shown in this document should not be taken as being availableex-stock and reference should be made to the current Kingspan Insulation price-list or advicesought from Kingspan Insulation’s Customer Service Department (see above left).The information, technical details and fixing instructions etc. included in this literature are givenin good faith and apply to uses described. Recommendations for use should be verified as tothe suitability and compliance with actual requirements, specifications and any applicable lawsand regulations. For other applications or conditions of use, Kingspan Insulation offers aTechnical Advisory Service (see above) the advice of which should be sought for uses ofKingspan Insulation products that are not specifically described herein. Please check thatyour copy of the literature is current by contacting the Kingspan Insulation MarketingDepartment (see left).Kingspan Insulation LtdCastleblayney, County Monaghan, Irelandwww.insulation.kingspan.comPrinted on recycled paper.® Kingspan, Kooltherm, Thermataper and the Lion Device are Registered Trademarks of the Kingspan Group plc® SPeAR is a Registered Trademark of Arup.