Wales-based manufacturing firm, Building Systems UK, to reach carbon neutral target five years earlier than UK goal of 2050
International steel producer, Tata Steel, has announced a new company ambition; a reduction of CO2 emissions, that will see the business become carbon neutral by 2045. This is five years ahead of the UK wide target of 2050, and will be achieved on a science based trajectory, enabling Building Systems UK (Tata Steel’s sustainable building systems provider) to supply building products to the construction sector that are carbon neutral.
Jo Evans, Managing Director of Building Systems UK: “Our ambition of carbon neutral steel making by 2045 demonstrates our commitment to deliver the sustainable buildings of the future. Whilst many manufacturers and other industries will also be looking to alter operations to meet the 2050 carbon neutral goal, we have proudly invested in and developed solutions, products and an ecosystem on our decarbonisation journey to reach this milestone as early as possible. We have also pledged to reduce all CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030 as well.
“Building Systems UK – and the wider Tata Group – was founded on the principle that its activities should always benefit society. It is the company’s mission to enhance the lives of our employees, customers and society; we do this by enabling the creation of sustainable spaces where we live, work and play.
“With our ambitious target set five years ahead of UK-wide targets, we want to clearly show that we are still guided by the same long-term vision and are pioneers in sustainability within the steel industry.”
Delivering long-term sustainability at the Shotton site
Building Systems UK’s Shotton Works site in North Wales has been producing market-leading construction products for 125 years. Its decarbonisation goals are well in advance of the deadlines set by the Paris Agreement, is testament to its innovative approach and practices.
This announcement and pledge at Shotton includes four key themes of sustainable development:
- Reducing the site’s carbon footprint
- Developing and producing products and services that support sustainable construction
- Protecting and expanding the biodiversity that co-exists on the site
- Maximising the material efficiency and achieving zero onsite waste
Jo adds: “These themes encompass all areas of Shotton’s activities, giving us a clear focus for all our business decisions. There is no silver bullet when it comes to delivering a sustainable future; it’s only when the various aspects of mitigating climate change, supporting biodiversity and being a responsible manufacturer all come together that we can make a real difference.
“For 2022, we set a target to reduce our Shotton carbon footprint by 20%, and we have achieved this. We also introduced certified low-CO2 offerings across our building products portfolio, through our insetting scheme, Carbon Lite. This means emission reductions can now be passed on to customers in the form of certificates allowing them to make Scope 3 emissions savings. Because of this progress – and alongside other positive changes – we are able to support the UK built environment in accelerating the decarbonisation of the sector and commit ourselves to reaching the target five years early. We recognise that today’s changing world is faced with a climate emergency, and the team at Shotton in the UK, is committed to providing a positive environmental legacy.”
What else is Tata Steel doing in Wales?
Projects to reduce CO2 emissions by tens of thousands of tonnes a year include upgrades to the company’s Port Talbot power plant, installing electric ovens and switching to renewable electricity. New projects being developed include increasing the amount of steel scrap in the production of new high-quality steel and further improvements to the steelmaking process in Port Talbot.
Meanwhile the company is working closely with other industries in the South Wales Industrial Cluster (SWIC) – of which Tata Steel / Building Systems UK is a founding member – to explore how they can support each other in the decarbonisation of the region. The company is collaborating with the University of South Wales on biological fermentation to generate acetates, a high value chemical, from waste carbon and working with Project MESH, led by Swansea University, on thermochemical storage of heat from steelmaking operations.