Samskip is Europe’s first company to benefit from a straightforward but lasting way to save energy at its Rotterdam headquarters, after Nexus, on behalf of the building owner, funds installation of specially laminated glass that blocks infra-red rays but not daylight. Part of the logistics company’s Sustainability Strategy, the scheme is expected to cut office cooling energy use in half, reducing Samskip’s carbon emissions by around 45 tonnes a year.
The initiative has been undertaken in close collaboration with the Dutch glass product supplier, Innovative Facility Solutions (IFS), with investment coming from Dutch asset manager: Nexus Real Estate.
The patented glass product is being installed on all windows at Samskip’s 4,004 m² head office, with around 229 laminated glass panels fitted, covering an area of 548 m². Functioning as a third ‘isolation’ window the solution keeps in heat in winter, but its infra-red blocking properties keep out heat in summer without affecting daylight. This is expected to cut the energy used by office cooling installations by 50%.
By blocking infra-red rays, the new SR-IR glass also creates a more comfortable working environment, with temperatures controlled within an optimal range of 20-25 degrees Celsius.
Samskip is the first company in Europe to benefit from the cheaper, and ‘greener’ climate control system, following 10 years of R&D into SR-IR laminated glass and an exhaustive testing phase. Samskip Manager Marketing & Communication, Eva Rademaker-de Leeuw, says: “Our aim is to run our business in as environmentally friendly a way as is possible; this is true for our logistics operations, but also for our offices. The partnership with IFS and Nexus will enable us to reduce our carbon emissions by around 45 tonnes a year. We hope others in the logistics and transport industry, and beyond, will follow our example.”
Pieter Romme, partner at Nexus, says: “We are very excited to have found an innovative and new solution – in close cooperation with our technical manager CBRE – to improve the sustainability of our property. We are very enthusiastic about this product and expect that, after the introduction to our building in Rotterdam, more landlords in the Netherlands will follow our lead!”.
IFS Director and Founder, Wil van der Wal, says: “We are very thankful for the close collaboration with Samskip, Nexus and CBRE; introducing a new and innovative product into the market requires confidence and belief from our clients. Most innovations in this area focus on the way energy is made, often overlooking the way it can be saved. This maintenance friendly solution represents a significant and lasting contribution to a “greener” world.
