Site development and use
Resource-saving development and opting for renewables in the name of sustainability minimises the use of land at our sites and makes full use of the space available. We coordinate building layouts, production processes and logistics and warehousing concepts to maximise the effectiveness of heat recovery or the shortness of transportation routes, for example.
Multi-storey construction
Land and soil are finite resources. In Vorarlberg, nestled between Lake Constance and the Alps, where Julius Blum founded our company more than 70 years ago, land is a valuable resource. That is why we opt for multi-storey plant buildings, to minimize the use of land and make full use of the space available. The building is not only a space-saving construction but also offers two additional ecological benefits: First, the development scheme gives us energy-efficient buildings. The comparatively smaller façades emit less heat and the energy flows in the building are shorter and more efficient. The expansion of Plant 4 in Bregenz is one such example. The new building will have primary areas on five levels, ancillary areas on nine levels and will include a covered car park. Due to our multi-storey building concept, we are developing about 14,000 m² of land, which is roughly the size of two football pitches, to create more than 49,000 m² of floor space, which is equivalent to seven football pitches. Even if this means more effort and expense in planning, building work and investment, we are convinced that multi-storey construction pays off in the long term.
Renewables in day-to-day operations
We use renewable forms of energy worldwide in our day-to-day operations – from the power supply, to building services, to production. Two plants in Hoechst are equipped with photovoltaic systems and this kind of environmentally friendly energy source is also used in the Bregenz plant. They generate electricity from sunlight, whereas solar thermal technology – which is employed at the Blum plant in Gaissau – uses the warmth of the sunlight. A total of 1,873 m² of solar panels are installed in Vorarlberg, producing 306,832 kWh per year, which is equivalent to the annual consumption of 76 family homes.
Green roofs
Blum has been cultivating green roofs for over 20 years. Six of the company's eight Austrian plants now have partially green roofs, as does our site in Poland. These green roofs are an important part of our outdoor space concept for a more sustainable infrastructure. Although they result in additional costs, they offer a whole host of advantages – green roofs not only promote biodiversity, they also serve as a retention area for rainwater, bind CO2 and particulate matter, and also have a natural insulating effect that reduces ambient noise, balances temperature fluctuations outside and inside the building, and in doing so contributes to a healthier working environment.
Biodiversity
One of our sustainability objectives is to preserve biodiversity. When developing new buildings, converting existing ones and extending our plants, we therefore opt for measures designed to increase biodiversity such as the natural landscaping of open spaces, car parks, traffic areas and roofing. Green roofs are particularly useful in establishing new habitats for many different animal and plant species. We also take targeted action to promote biodiversity here; in addition to the plants that we cultivate on our green roofs, we also establish "insect-friendly" roof surfaces with sand and gravel, arrange stacks of deadwood to act as "bug hotels", and create wetland biotopes that serve to attract other species.
