ScreenLine integral blinds make homes more sustainable
In fact, our focus on the materials, technology and equipment that we use in the construction, renovation and upgrading of our private dwellings has to be even sharper when you consider that 40 per cent of the UK’s CO2 emissions are generated by our homes.
That’s why any product capable of reducing CO2 emissions and making a home more sustainable needs serious attention – and that includes ScreenLine integral blinds from Pellini blinds which are manufactured in the UK by Morley Glass.
Why are ScreenLine integral blinds good for sustainable homes?
ScreenLine integral blinds are blinds that go between the glass panes of a double glazed unit. They are fully encapsulated so never need any maintenance and they are designed to last. Longevity is, therefore, built in, and the need for a maintenance engineer to attend once they are fitted is unusual.
By using integral blinds homeowners can shade a room instantly to prevent it overheating when the sunshine is strong, and cut down glare in the process. This reduces the need for air conditioning / comfort cooling and, therefore, energy use.
ScreenLine integral blinds, which Morley Glass incorporates into every one of its Uni-Blinds® units, are also smart homes compatible. This means the blinds can be set to automatically open and close as the weather conditions and temperature change throughout the day. So, the home will get the maximum amount of solar gain – natural heat from the sun – when it’s cold but sunny outside, and effective shading from too much sunshine when the room becomes too warm.
This helps regulate the temperature and internal comfort in the room as well as lighting. The blinds can be set to open fully when the temperature allows for plenty of natural light to fill the room, reducing the need for artificial lighting and cutting electricity consumption.
Sustainable manufacturing processes and post-use recycling
ScreenLine blind systems are manufactured in Italy by Pellini, which means a transportation is a relatively short distance unlike many other integral blinds that are made in the Far East. This immediately gives ScreenLine products a benefit through a comparatively smaller carbon footprint.
Pelliini’s manufacturing operations are resource-efficient with strict procedures and standards in place for responsible environmental management in respect of waste, energy use and emissions.
Once here in the UK, these blind systems are fitted into sealed units by Morley Glass at its state-of-the-art factory near Leeds. And it is here where sustainable practices go even further.
Morley Glass operates in a similarly efficient way in respect of both the blind systems and its glass. To support this, the company has its own on-site recycling facility where it is able to crush post-use glass into cullet for the manufacturer of new float glass.
This joint initiative with Saint-Gobain Glass helps reduce the amount of waste glass going to landfill – in fact, since its launch in 2019 to March 2021, 769 bags of cullet have been produced by this facility weighing 397 tonnes. This has reduced the CO2 emissions of Saint-Gobain’s glass manufacturing process by 119,009kg.
This revenue generated by this glass cullet is put to good use too through the Morley Glass GreenVision fund (www.morleyglass.co.uk/glass-recycling-leeds). This supports community schemes with up to £50,000 available every year, benefiting a wide range of projects and initiatives in West Yorkshire.
Every application approved receives a donation of £500 per project. Schemes that have benefited so far include Leeds based CATCH (Community Action To Create Hope), a youth charity formed of volunteers dedicated to making a positive difference in their local area. Their work involves preparing food parcels for those suffering food poverty, for which the volunteers grow their own fruit and vegetables where possible. Morley Glass’s donation has funded growing tunnels to help achieve this.