Contributing to the improvement of people’s lives is our general objective, but in today’s article we aspire to be much more specific, explaining specific initiatives that we carry out.
As you know, at Metalesa we take care of designing, manufacturing and installing road safety systems, urban protection systems and anti-noise equipment. But we are also aware that, as a company, we must provide solutions and be innovative to satisfy one of the priority demands of our society: a commitment to the environment and sustainability.
More and more sustainable facilities
Little by little, our facilities are evolving adopting measures that favor sustainability and reduce environmental impact, reflecting our commitment to preserving the environment.
Photovoltaic installation
We have concluded the installation a photovoltaic solar plant on the roof of the factory with which to install up to 100KW of power and be able to provide service to the factory in a remarkable way, especially in the months with the highest light incidence.
The preliminary studies of the project allow to advance an average annual external energy consumption savings of 60% with green and clean energy that, in times of excess, could be poured into the grid through new technologies and business models of distributed generation.
Replacement of LED luminaires
We have replaced the entire lighting installation in the factory and the offices with LED luminaires, managing to reduce energy consumption on an annual average by up to 15%.
While many may not need this reminder, we do share some reasons why installing LED bulbs is a more environmentally friendly option:
- They are not made of mercury or any other toxic substance.
- They are recyclable.
- They have a longer life than traditional bulbs. They can last up to 20 times longer.
- It is a cold light, so the chances of a facility fire from overheating are reduced to a minimum.
Replacement of diesel trucks with electric trucks
In the Metalesa factory we are dispensing with the consumption of diesel for our trucks, which are now powered by electric batteries. Without a doubt, an ecofriendly alternative.
Electric forklifts are 100% environmentally friendly as they produce zero emissions, therefore, they do not emit CO2 while in use. Of course, the treatment that is applied to the batteries of any vehicle once its life cycle has concluded must be taken into account. This issue is not resolved and the disappearance of greenhouse gases should not hide the fact that this point should be one of the priorities when addressing electrification in the following years of the mobility industry.
We encourage the use of paper 0
We are carrying out an intensive digitization process that aims to minimize the use of paper in the company. In this sense, with the measures taken to date, we have managed to reduce paper consumption by up to 75%.
Installation of EV charging points
Alongside the electrification of our fleet of forklifts, it is planned that the new car park at our facilities will include the provision of various electric vehicle charging points to employees.
In this way, we hope to encourage the acquisition by our staff of electric cars, aiming to save around 10,000 liters of gasoline per year.
Compliance with environmental standards and guideliness
From a regulatory point of view, we have also decided to go one step further with a plan to introduce official accreditation for advanced standards related to the environment in the company:
- Energy Efficiency Management Systems Standard ISO 50001: This is a certificate that guarantees that the organization has a good system for the correct use of the energy consumed.
- Carbon Footprint ISO 14067: This standard establishes a series of requirements and guidelines to carry out the quantification of the carbon footprint of the products and services offered by a company. Through this standard and the calculation of the carbon footprint, companies can know what is the impact they generate on the environment, and thus take the necessary measures to reduce it.
Products that favor sustainability: Acoustic screens against noise pollution
One of our main products are acoustic screens, barriers specially designed to end a current problem as harmful to people as it is to animals: noise pollution.
The choice of a habitat by animals depends largely on the noises that are produced in it. If an animal cannot tolerate the noise of the environment, it will hardly be able to live in it with the conditions it needs, which will cause it to migrate. If the animals disappear, the balance of the food pyramid of the place is disturbed. Ultimately, excess noise affects fauna and alters ecosystems.
Thanks to acoustic screens we can alleviate this problem through the absorption of noise that is generated on roads, railways or industries. For this reason, we have spent many years developing different acoustic screen solutions that adapt to all types of spaces and requirements.
Since in this post we are talking about the environment, we are going to highlight 3 models that are especially beneficial for our environment:
Metagreen Acoustic Screen
This type of screens, known as vegetable screens, consist of a hot galvanized steel frame, and inside it is placed rock wool or other materials, which together with a green plastic mesh facilitates the growth of vegetation on both sides of the the screen. These are panels made with sustainable and recyclable materials.
Bird Collision Screen
Bird Collision Screens are designed to prevent birds from colliding with vehicles or trains traveling on the tracks. Thanks to this type of screen, we can prevent flight areas and migratory flows from being interfered with by road or rail traffic.
Screen for wildlife passage
Screens for wildlife passage are installed in the overpasses conditioned to protect the passage of fauna and livestock that circulate along the tracks. These are wooden panels that are supplied provided with a chemical treatment that guarantees the preventive and curative action of insects and fungi as well as solar radiation. Further. The wood panels favor the respect for the environment.
As you can see, at Metalesa we work to promote a commitment to sustainability and the protection of the environment from all the areas in which we can cover. From internal initiatives such as the reduction of emissions and discharges, or the creation of training and development programs to improve the way we live, to the reduction of the environmental impact of the manufacture of our products.
One of the main pillars within Metalesa’s vision is the improvement of society and this happens through, among other things, reducing the impact generated on the environment. In addition to continuing to enhance everything that we have explained in this post, we will continue working to increase our effect on the preservation of the environment and the improvement of people’s quality of life.
