With mandatory climate-related disclosure laws already in force, businesses are under pressure to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings. MetecnoPIR, a division of the Bondor Metecno Group, offers premium thermal building solutions that can help the commercial and industrial sector to reduce energy demand.
As companies across the country prepare to disclose and reduce their carbon footprints, energy efficient building solutions like those offered by MetecnoPIR will play a vital role in ensuring compliance with regulations while driving down energy costs.
In what is one of the most significant reforms to corporate reporting in Australian history, the country’s new climate disclosure regime comes into effect on 1 January 2025. Under the changes, large corporations with a revenue of more than $500 million will be required to report on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. These include direct emissions from business activities and the energy used to power those operations.
By 2027, the reporting obligation expands to include businesses with revenues of $50 million or more, in addition to an enlargement of mandatory reporting including Scope 3 emissions.
Improving the quality of climate-related disclosures provides greater transparency to manage climate-related financial risks, identify opportunities and examine emissions reduction plans, targets and strategies. A rigorous, internationally aligned climate disclosure regime supports greater international capital flows required for the transition to net zero, bringing Australia in line with other jurisdictions, including the EU, UK, New Zealand and Japan.
There are many paths to decarbonisation. MetecnoPIR has identified opportunities for large-scale commercial clients to reduce energy consumption by retrofitting existing buildings with its innovative insulated roofing and walling solutions, such as MetecnoPanel.
Duro Curlija, General Manager of MetecnoPIR, said the company is helping clients meet stringent requirements to limit emissions and improve energy efficiency.
“Organisations, particularly those with large-scale assets, are facing stringent requirements to improve the energy efficiency of their operations,” he said. “Our role is to help these asset owners address these demands in new construction by providing high-performance insulated roof and wall panels that significantly reduce energy consumption and, by extension, their carbon footprint.”
Adoption of thermally efficient materials for new builds is advanced, however an often overlooked area for major improvements in carbon footprint is addressing existing assets.
Retrofitting for energy efficiency
MetecnoPIR partners with asset owners to tailor innovative solutions that suit their operational requirements.
“What we’re seeing is a massive shift in focus towards retrofitting existing assets, as corporate Australia look to demonstrate environmental leadership,” Curlija said. “In many cases we’re providing companies with the solutions they need to meet their emissions reduction goals, without the need for expensive rebuilds.”
MetecnoPIR’s advanced insulation products can be retrofitted to existing buildings and substantially reduce energy consumption. There is no need for demolitions or full-scale rebuilds that unnecessarily disrupt operations. Curlija said they have wider applications beyond cold storage facilities.
“Our range of products, initially designed for the cold chain due to their incredible thermal attributes, is now being widely adopted for broader commercial applications, including shopping centres, big-box retail and industrial facilities.”
MetecnoPIR panels are prefabricated with high thermal performance core material continuously formed between two skins of COLORBOND® steel, creating an exceptionally strong and durable, fire–retardant insulated panel. PIR is a closed-cell thermoset foam with a high R-value (a measure of thermal resistance) that delivers thermal efficiency beyond traditional materials like glass wool, resulting in lower energy consumption to maintain desired operating temperatures.
“Asset owners don’t always need to knock down and rebuild,” Curlija said. “Our panels can be installed directly over existing structures, such as roofs and walls, drastically improving their thermal performance with minimal or no operational downtime.”
Reducing emissions and energy costs
Improved insulation significantly reduces the amount of energy required to maintain optimal temperatures in large buildings and reduce operational overheads. Curlija said this translates to significant cost savings.
“We’ve had customers in the retail and warehousing sector reduce their energy consumption by up to 30 per cent after retrofitting their facilities with our products,” he said. “In many cases fewer air-conditioning units are required to keep the facility comfortable for shoppers and workers.”
Improved facility temperature control reduces power demand, which in turn reduces reportable emissions and overall carbon footprint.
A solution for Scope 3 emissions
The reporting focus will soon shift to Scope 3 emissions, which includes emissions from supply chains and the lifecycle of assets. By using recyclable materials and high-performance thermal insulation, MetecnoPIR products help asset owners to mitigate the carbon impact of their bricks and mortar facilities and supply chains.
Companies that repeatedly fail to improve upon their carbon reduction commitments could face significant civil penalties, and be exposed to shareholder, activist and customer pressures.
“Our core materials can be re-purposed/recycled at end of life, and we also utilise fully recyclable Australian made BlueScope Steel in manufacture, which further enhances the environmental credentials of our products,” Curlija said. “Improved understanding of the carbon footprint of building products is a critical requirement, and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are just one of many available transparency tools.”
He said MetecnoPIR works with large clients to “align with their environmental goals”.
“These clients understand that improving the thermal efficiency of their buildings is crucial to meeting their carbon reduction targets and both maintaining and improving their brand position as as an environmentally aware organisation.”