A circular building economy

The construction industry can divert 1-2 billion tons of waste, or one-third of the global total waste that ends up in landfill, and we take that very seriously. Now, more than ever, it’s important that businesses and consumers recycle manufactured goods due to ever-increasing populations and dwindling resources. Thus, it is even more important to be aware of what happens to the materials after they are returned to the manufacturer, or where the raw materials were initially sourced.   

When assessing the contribution of a product to the circular economy, one needs to assess several aspects: 

• What happens to the product itself after its use? Is it closed-loop or open-loop recycled? 
• What other secondary materials can be recycled into the product? Are those materials upcycled or downcycled? 
• Is there a scarcity associated with the use of additional primary raw materials and what is the efficiency of the use of those materials? 

Therefore, in a circular economy, products should be used for as long as possible and reused to the greatest extent possible when they reach the end of their service life. At Rockfon, we provide long-lasting solutions for buildings – such as acoustic ceilings. 

Closed loop recycling of our own sustainable products 

To move away from the consumption method, the circular economy reduces our material footprint by re-using materials efficiently and profitably. To have a resource-efficient world, we need to provide the most durable products while simultaneously using the least amount of resources possible. 

• None of our factories send stone wool waste to landfills 
• Get a sustainable closed-loop product 
• Stone wool is a reusable, fully recyclable material 

In 2020, ROCKWOOL Group collected 163.000 tons of stone wool for recycling. We don't down cycle, infact, it can be recycled again and again

Upcycling of waste from other industries 

A complete understanding of the reuse options for a recycling stream (secondary material) needs to be considered when evaluating the sustainable profile of a product. 

• We upcycle waste from other industries and create value, instead of sending to landfills 

• We don’t divert any scares resources away from other industries 
• We heavily contribute to the circular economy 

Natural & self-recreating primary resources 

Stone wool is an abundant resource and sustainable construction material. Discovered in Hawaii at the beginning of the nineteenth century, our stone is a natural by-product of volcanic activity that is melted and then spun into natural fibers. Today, stone wool improves peoples’ work and well-being in all kinds of different ways. 

• Earth produces 38,000 times more stone material than is used to make ROCKWOOL stone wool annually. 

• The stone is used very efficiently by us as 1 cubic meter of stone can correspond to 2,200m2 or eight tennis courts of ceiling tiles 

Rockfon is not only the best-in-class when it comes to acoustics, but we also positively contribute to the recycle quality and are certified best-in-class by the top organizations for safety. Given that we spend more than 90% of our time indoors, this is an important concern that we will continue to focus on.  

Let Rockfon be your contribution to the circular economy.