the power of radical innovation - european...
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The power of radical innovation Ramón Arratia
Sustainability Director
Interface
“One day people
like me will go
to jail” Ray
Anderson
1994
Interface Europe Ecometrics 2014
• Direct GHG Emissions: -98% Reduction from 1996
• Renewable Energy: 95%
• Energy Efficiency: -54% Reduction from 1996
• Water Usage: -93% Reduction from 1996
• Waste to Landfill: Zero
98% GHG reductions from 1996
100%
1996
Manufacturing efficiencies (54%)
Green electricity (20%)
2014
Biogas credits (24%)
Remaining 2%
Type of projects implemented
• Hot parts insulation
• Steam boiler elimination, switch to efficient boilers
• Compounds that work at lower temperatures
• Valves that keep heat in the process
• Password restricted thermostats
• Optimising humidity in curing
• Automated system BMS
• Air curtains for doors
• Reuse of cold air from the bottom to the top
• Decision of some halls and storage space to be at 5C
• Spot heating
• Compressed air
Approach
• Sense or urgency. Not 2020, now.
• Empower engineers, giving them an umbrella to act
on and a stronger voice
• Acceptance that the last 10% would cost more
• Differentiate ourselves by doing some extraordinary
ahead of schedule and expectations
• Strong communication, yet humble
• Sense of pride for the rest of the organization
• Extra motivation for sales people (feeling the winning
hand)
A Paradigm Shift
OLD
• Corporate
sustainability
• The beauty contest
• Awards and labels
• Zero company
impacts
NEW
• Product sustainability
• Embedded
• LCA performance
• Zero product life
cycle impacts
RADICAL
• Services redesign
• Closed loop systems
• Radical materials
• Zeroing others by
cannibalising
• Positive lobbying
Company
Product
vs.
Embedding Sustainability
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) –
The Key in Sustainability
Carbon Footprint Breakdown:
Materials and Processes
Why CO2 per m² is the Magic Metric
Source: TrueCost study for Interface, based on environmental indicators from EPDs
14
The power of product redesign
Use less yarn
Use more recycled yarn
Find an alternative yarn or
re-invent an existing yarn
What Can We Do to Zero Out the
Impact of the Yarn?
1) Use less
Yarn: Microtuft
– Less is More
Technology using up to
50 % less yarn
Following the ‘less is
more’ principle – only
340 g yarn per m²
11 million m² sold since
launch
Accounting for around
14 % of European sales
High growth product
category
2) Use More
Recycled Yarn
Challenging our suppliers
More than 450 colour
ways with 100 %
recycled yarn are
available now!
Far more than any of our
competitors
3) Alternative/
Inventing a New
Yarn: PA6.10
63 % bio-based yarn derived
from castor bean plants
Castor bean plants grow on
marginal land
Grow quickly and need water
only once in 25 days
Do not compete with food crops
Provides socio-economic
benefits for rural farmers
Class 33 Rating – No
compromise in durability or
appearance
3) Re-Inventing
an Existing Yarn
Polypropylene yarn (PP)
Less resilience than PA
Less carbon impact than PA
New construction from Interface
guarantees same performance as
PA
Eliminates the precoat layer
Achieves the lowest CO2
footprint
First heavy contract
Polypropylene carpet in history
(Class 33 Rating)
Scavenging others’ waste:
• PVB used to be sent to landfill as waste
from glass recycling
• Now it’s used as latex in our carpet
Open Loops
Re-designing the supply
chain with Net-Works™
•A socially inclusive
business model
•Net-Works enables
fishing communities in
developing countries to
sell waste nets back into
a global supply chain
•Partnership with
Zoological Society
London (ZSL) and our
yarn supplier Aquafil
www.net-works.com
Full Transparency
Environmental Product
Declarations (EPDs)
Third party verified and
based on a thorough LCA in
line with ISO 14040
standards.
EPDs enable customers to
compare products’
ingredients, energy and
material resource
consumption and
environmental impacts.
No green washing!
http://www.interfaceflor.in/we
b/in/sustainability/epd/certifi
cates
Easy Access to
Information A quick and fact-based
overview of the main
environmental impacts for
each of the Interface products
Covers all phases of the life
cycle of a product
Recycled content figures at
color level
Product features and services
that help to reduce the overall
environmental impact are
highlighted
Contribution towards major
green building schemes
http://www.interfaceflor.co.uk/w
eb/sustainability/environmental
_datasheets
…but every carpet,
every kg of cement,
every building….
Pay the same VAT
Successful regulation at cars
• What is the biggest issue?
• Energy at use = gCO2/km (becomes the magic metric)
• European-wide goals for the industry on gCO2/km
• Mandatory displaying of the metric on advertising
• Company car tax: more tax if more gCO2/km
• Road tax: more tax if more gCO2/km
• City incentives: Low gCO2/km have exemptions
e.g. parking, congestion charge
Product Carbon Footprint
• Very interesting approach
• Slow, little resources
• Combine it with voluntary standards
Do Customers Pay for Sustainability?
Biosfera – Our
First EcoHero
• Carpet with a minimum
use of raw materials
Made from 100 %
recycled yarn including
fishing nets and used
carpet fluff
Highest growth new
product introduction ever
A Paradigm Shift
OLD
• Corporate
sustainability
• The beauty contest
• Awards and labels
• Zero company
impacts
NEW
• Product sustainability
• Embedded
• LCA performance
• Zero product life
cycle impacts
RADICAL
• Services redesign
• Closed loop systems
• Radical materials
• Zeroing others by
cannibalising
• Positive lobbying
Cannibalization of unsustainable
practices, products and design
Cannibalization of unsustainable
practices, products and design
ReUse and Recycling Carpet Tiles
Business case for sustainability
• Reputation
• Efficiency savings (eg. energy, waste)
• Recruiting
• Internal engagement
• Competitive advantages
• Open new markets
• Create barriers to entry