URSA at the heart of sustainability
URSA is at the forefront of global sustainability efforts and provides solutions proven to work. We are committed to promoting and contributing to sustainable development, being active in all three pillars of sustainability ā environment, economy and people ā both as a company and through our product range.
Our products support the planet, the economy and society
Energy savings for the planet
Energy efficiency in buildings is a vital part of the European 2020 energy efficiency plan and the 2050 roadmap for a low-carbon economy. Of all the energy consumed in the European Union, 40% is used by buildings, of which two-thirds for heating and cooling. In this regard, insulation materials offer significant energy savings and drastic reduction of CO2 emissions. The energy savings during the use phase of URSAās insulation materials are so significant that they easily outweigh the energy needed for their production, generating a net positive impact.ā
Cost-effective solutions for builders and homeowners
Throughout the life of a building, approximately 80%* of total energy used is consumed in the use phase (heating, cooling and hot water), with the remaining 20% consumed in construction and demolition. Your initial investment can be recouped in less than 4 years, and multiplied by 7 in 30 years, according to research conducted by the European Association of Insulation Manufacturers (EURIMA). Insulating materials are highly cost-effective due to their high quality and durability, with maintenance being insignificant. URSA products cover all insulation applications in a building.
Comfort that creates healthier and safer homes
Most people spend 80% of their time indoors. Their homes and places of work need to be comfortable, quiet, healthy and safe. Sustainable buildings offer a pleasant indoor climate for the comfort for their occupants. The positive impact of URSAās glass mineral wool products on the indoor climate of buildings includes thermal resistance, high acoustic insulation, improved indoor air quality and fire resistance.ā
External recognition
URSAās insulation materials rank highly on a number of sustainability parameters. This has been externally verified, and we have received a number of international certificates and awards from a range of bodies in recognition of our insulation materialsā unique benefits:
Ecomaterial Absolute (highest mark on Russian market)
Institut fĆ¼r Bauen und Umwelt (Germany)
DeclaraciĆ³n Ambiental de Productos de ConstrucciĆ³n (DAPc) (Spain)
Instytut Techniki Budowlanej (Poland)
Blue Angel (Germany) for URSA PUREONE and URSA GEOā
A sustainable life cycle
URSAās insulation products have a net positive impact on building sustainability through their life cycle because energy savings made by insulating with our products far outweigh the energy needed for their production.ā URSA fully supports life-cycle assessment (LCA) as the best way to scientifically assess the environmental impact of products and processes. LCA is a way of evaluating the effects that a product has on the environment over the entire period of its life: from extraction of the raw materials through to the manufacturing process, the use phase of the product and the end of its life.
Life cycle of URSA glass mineral wool and XPS products
Raw materials
Silica sand, a natural resource coming from the most abundant material on earth and classified as rapidly renewable.ā
Post-consumer recycled glass (around 50%).ā
Production phase
In all our manufacturing plants, we make considerable efforts to minimize production waste. We are also increasing the rate of recycling materials year by year. This helps to reduce the intake of virgin raw materials. Production waste from extruded polystyrene (XPS) is, for instance, almost entirely recycled.ā
Transportation of our insulation materials
The compressibility of URSAās glass mineral wool allows for substantial energy savings along the logistics chain. An unpacked roll can be compressed more than 10 times, so fewer trucks are necessary to transport more energy-saving products and we can store more of our insulation materials on the warehouse floor. In addition, URSA has designed its packaging to make the products lighter and facilitate their use by the consumer. With the new packaging, it is possible to include more panels in each package, for both XPS and mineral glass wool products, improving transport and significantly reducing environmental impact.
Installation
Product waste and costs are reduced and time saved due to the flexibility and ease of handling of URSAās glass mineral wool. Moreover, the lightness and compressibility of our glass mineral wool help the installer save time and complete more projects.
Use phase
URSAās products have great durability, making them more sustainable since they do not need maintenance for decades. Throughout their use phase, they save between 200 and 600 times the energy generated during their manufacture, transport and installation, reducing the energy demand of buildings, mainly in heating and cooling, and thus allowing users to reduce energy consumption.
In addition to economic and energy savings, URSAās materials contribute to the comfort of the end user and help fight against climate change by reducing CO2 emissions.
End of life
There are different scenarios for end of life, depending on each product and its final application during the use phase. URSAās glass mineral wool and XPS products can be recycled by reintegrating them into production processes or even reusing them in buildings, thus reducing environmental load.
Health and safety
The most rigorous health and safety standards are part of everyday life at all URSA plants. All our people are trained on an ongoing basis to achieve zero accidents.Health and safety is our number one priority. We constantly invest time and resources to improve our standards, making sure our employees have the latest safety equipment and developing their safety behavioral mindset.
Euceb
URSAās products are certified by the European Certification Board for Mineral Wool Products (EUCEB) ā which means that our insulation materials are manufactured to standards set by Note Q of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008.
Ral
We are a member of RAL, the German Institute for Quality Safeguarding and Labeling. URSAās insulation products carry the RAL quality mark for āproducts made from mineral wool.ā This certifies that our products are environmentally friendly, sustainable and high-quality, and can be handled without any health risk.