How Omnis Products Help Reduce Embodied Carbon

According to a report by the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance, buildings and construction are responsible for 39% of carbon emissions today. The embodied carbon of buildings accounts for a greater share of global carbon emissions. If we don’t address embodied carbon emissions, by 2060, embodied carbon emissions may exceed 230 gigatons, which is more than six years of current (2022) global emissions from fuel combustion.

Buildings built in the coming years will still be standing in 2050, and are likely to contribute to at least 11% of current emissions.

Omnis helps architects reduce embodied carbon during the planning and construction process.

Steps to address CO2 emissions during the planning stages of new building projects.

1.  Reuse buildings instead of constructing new ones.

Steni incorporates environmental sustainabilityin the production, processes, and distribution of its rainscreen panels by minimizing the negative environmental impact. Steni Composite Stone Panels have a 60-year warranty and an expected lifetime of 100 years.

Recycled Steni Panels:

A 1950s building in Oslo threatened with demolition was purchased by a real estate company. The company wanted to renovate the building according to circular construction principles. The recycled materials used in the renovation included concrete floor slabs, grille panels, and 3,819 35-year-old recycled Steni Composite Stone Rainscreen panels.

“The Steni engineered stone façade panels from the 35-year-old housing association were cut and adapted to match the dimensions needed for the renovation project. In all, we delivered 3,819 processed panels,” says Ståle Kristiansen, Regional Manager and project management at Steni. “The Kristian Augusts Gate 13 project is the ultimate example of how important wear, resistance and durability of Steni Panels are for sustainability and the environment.”

3,819 35-year-old Steni Panels were recycled in a materials reuse building project.

2. Maximize structural efficiency.

EnergyEdge® Permanent Insulated Concrete Edge Formwork is a leave-in-place concrete perimeter formwork that provides protected rigid perimeter insulation around the edge of the concrete slab. The end result is an aesthetically superior concrete edge that is thermally isolated at its transition from below grade to the wall.

  • EnergyEdge® formwork system insulates slab and foundation edges, meeting the requirement for concrete slab edge insulation (SEI) and ICC building and energy codes.
  • EnergyEdge® rails are extruded PVC “E”-shaped rails with high-density R-10 EPS insulation
EnergyEdge® Permanent Insulated Concrete Edge Formwork

3. Maximize thermal insulation.

ZENOVA IP + IR Thermal Insulating Coatings save energy by increasing the thermal insulation level in commercial and residential buildings. Solar heat can increase the temperature within a building by 75% to 90%. ZENOVA IP+IR have been independently tested and shown to deflect, absorb, and dissipate up to 75% of this heat, reducing the inside temperature by up to 45%.

ZENOVA IP + IR also have thermal reflection, anti-condensation, and anti-mold properties. The coatings can be used on any exterior (IR) and interior (IP) surface to provide insulation against cool and hot environments, as well as protect against thermal and infrared radiation.

ZENOVA IP and IR Thermal Insulating Coatings

4. Limit carbon-intensive materials.

Steni Panels

Petrarch Panels

Crushed Limestone Core

Steni Composite Stone Rainscreen Panels are made from the perfect marriage of nature’s most sustainable product (stone) and resins, fiberglass, and pigments to create composite stone panels that look and function better than those that are completely natural or completely man-made.

Low carbon footprint

Rainscreen façade panels from Steni have a low carbon footprint, producing 14–17 kg of CO2/m². Steni façade panels can be delivered to public waste treatment facilities at the end of their useful life. Steni waste is “inert” and has no impact on the external environment. All Steni panels have a life-cycle analysis and an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).

No Environmentally Harmful Substances

EU: None of STENI AS products contain substances on the REACH list.

Nordics: None of STENI ’s products contain substances on the REACH list, on the Norwegian priority list, the Sunda Hus priority list, or the Nordic Ecolabel Appendix 6.

Long Lifetime Calculation

The Life Cost Calculation (LCC) (NS 3454:2013) indicates the product’s resource consumption over time. Products from Steni have a low LCC. A long lifetime and low resource consumption make Steni panels an environmentally sound choice.

Recycled Marble

Petrarch Composite Stone Rainscreen Panels are composed primarily of 52-55% reconstituted marble that is recycled instead of discarded. They offer the appearance and texture of natural slate or stone in a large panel format that promotes sustainability. Petrarch Panels will endure extreme environmental conditions, vandalism, and exposure for years to come.

Low-Emitting Materials, Adhesives and Sealants

Petrarch rainscreen panels content 0 g/l VOC at install. The VOC content at the manufacturing site is 6%.

Low Impact Cleaning and Maintenance

Petrarch Composite Stone Panels are extremely impact-resistant, maintenance-free, and intended for life-of-the-building service. Petrarch panels can be cleaned with soap and water, and do not require any special cleaning supplies.

5. Minimize waste.

Steni Panels

Petrarch Panels

Waste Management

Steni composite stone panels are packaged using wood, paper, and recyclable plastic. Steni sorts all waste internally in accordance with the Grønt Ansvar (Green Responsibility). Grønt Ansvar is a comprehensive program for documented and systematic waste management.

The packaging can be easily sorted at the construction site. Offcuts / left-over panels can be delivered as general waste for standard waste collection.

Pre-cut format Reduces Waste

Steni’s continuous production process allows you to choose from a wide range of standard formats, with a width of up to 1,195 mm and a length of up to 3,495 mm. This means that there is very little waste. Steni develops customized solutions with customers.

60-year warranty

Steni composite stone rainscreen panels have an unmatched 60-year warranty. That means minimal building maintenance – just simple cleaning – lowering lifetime costs.

Construction Material Waste Management

Petrarch composite stone panels can be ordered cut to size at the factory thereby reducing or eliminating field cuts and waste at the construction site. Petrarch panels are shipped using a minimum amount of packaging material, primarily recycled cardboard and wood for a palletized base (2” X 4” wood studs and OSB plywood panels.)

These materials used for packaging are also common construction materials that can frequently be at the job site or by others.

Materials Reuse: 5% or 10%

Petrarch composite stone panels can potentially be reused due to the extensive life of the panels and the ability to cut on-site. Petrarch panels can be salvaged or reused in new construction or the renovation of a building. Applications for reuse can be exterior and interior wall panels or decorative accent panels made with composite material.

50-Year Warranty

Petrarch composite stone rainscreen panels have a 50-year warranty with little change in physical properties. Petrarch panels are waterproof, easy to clean, highly resistant to impact, and have a Class A fire rating.

Have questions about Petrarch and Steni Composite Stone Rainscreen Panels? Contact us or give us a call at 630-355-4040. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have.