NASHVILLE, Tenn., September 28, 2023 — AkzoNobel (AKZA; AKZOY) presented sustainable paints and coatings solutions for green buildings at the International Greenbuild Conference in Washington, D.C. Program Manager of Sustainability at AkzoNobel, Job Coenen, shared architectural innovations for green buildings and the importance of circularity in a panel discussion with Director Sandra Onwijn from the Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and Water, Department for Circular Economy along with other Holland on the Hill members. AkzoNobel is a strategic global corporate advisory board member of the World Green Building Council and a member of various regional green building councils.
A Market Research report, states that North America leads the global green building material market. The increasing adoption of green building codes and standards aids the construction industry in reducing its carbon footprint and promoting sustainable practices within the region. These green building standards have helped meet the growing demand for sustainable structures by reducing the environmental impact of buildings. This increasing trend of ecological building in North America indicates that the emphasis has shifted from producing only aesthetically appealing structures to functional, sustainable, and cost-effective buildings. Many architects and specifiers looking for green building certifications find AkzoNobel’s products helpful in improving indoor air quality and AkzoNobel provides low emission certificates.
“Buildings are responsible for 38% of global carbon emissions, which makes the built environment one of the largest contributing sectors to climate change. Most of us also spend a large part of our daily lives inside buildings, so they impact our health. We supply a wide range of sustainable solutions that can help reduce the environmental footprint, contribute to the circular use of building materials and improve the well-being of people in buildings,” explains Coenen. “We have developed coatings and finishes with a reduced carbon footprint. For example, our waterborne Wood Finishes for building products and cabinets, our Cool Chemistry Coil Coatings for metal roofing that provides a solution to heat island reduction and our long-term durable Powder Coatings to enhance the lifetime of buildings.”
AkzoNobel has developed a range of paints and coatings qualified for green building certifications based on the World Green Building Council’s focus areas of climate action, health and well-being and circularity. AkzoNobel offers material transparency to its customers as they compare product options and assist customers in reducing their carbon footprint. The company provides environmental product declarations (EPDs) to verify the environmental performance of many of its products. In Europe, AkzoNobel launched its online energy savings calculator for all users of powder coatings so customers can instantly calculate the energy and carbon reductions they could achieve with the company’s Interpon products. AkzoNobel provides detailed product carbon footprint data for the life cycle of its products in buildings as part of its SBTi approved target to reduce its footprint by 50% by 2030 and in its value chain, including scope 3 in alignment with the Paris Agreement. AkzoNobel is the first paints and coatings company to follow up on its commitment to set science-based sustainability targets by announcing carbon reduction targets for its full value chain and gain official validation from SBTi. AkzoNobel’s durable products help customers lower costs and save resources by using less materials and reducing waste in its value chain. The company achieved an Ecovadis score of 82/100 points this year, focusing on its value chain engagement on sustainability. AkzoNobel is in the top 1% of all companies assessed by Ecovadis.
AkzoNobel used its sustainable coatings solutions on important U.S. green buildings, contributing to LEED certifications. For example, the Uber Headquarters is in San Francisco, California, and is LEED Gold certified. AkzoNobel used its Interpon D3020 Powder Coatings on the 423,000 square foot building. Additionally, the company coated the 30 Hudson Yards building in New York City, which has 73 floors and is rated LEED Gold. AkzoNobel also coated the St. Regis Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, using its TRINAR TRI-Escent II liquid spray that offers remarkable resistance to exterior weathering – helping the building withstand the windy Chicago weather and contributing to its LEED Silver certification.
In North America, AkzoNobel uses Protective Coatings, Powder Coatings, Coil and Extrustion Coatings and Wood Finishes as integrated solutions for the construction sector. The cross collaboration of our business units is significant for the construction and infrastructure sectors as together, our businesses have solutions that support decarbonization. Read more about AkzoNobel’s involvement in green buildings and its sustainability products and solutions here: https://www.akzonobel.com/en/about-us/sustainability-/making-buildings-greener.
About AkzoNobel
We supply the sustainable and innovative paints and coatings that our customers, communities – and the environment – are increasingly relying on. Our world class portfolio of brands – including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and have set our sights on becoming the global industry leader. It’s what you’d expect from a pioneering paints company that’s committed to science-based targets and is taking genuine action to address globally relevant challenges and protect future generations.
Job Coenen, AkzoNobel’s Program Manager for Sustainability, speaks at a Greenbuild session hosted by The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, on the Dutch’s approach to sustainability.
AkzoNobel coatings protect the Uber HQ in San Francisco, California. (© Jason O’Rear)
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Contact: Abbey Reding
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