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Decarbonisation

At ROCKWOOL we believe, that reducing carbon intensity is a prerequisite for achieving our science-based absolute emission reduction targets.

Our production process is energy-intensive and two-thirds of our GHG emissions are in Scope 1 and 2. We aim to reduce these emissions by 38 percent by 2034 compared to baseline 2019 through three main levers: energy efficiency of factories, technology innovation and circularity.  

We develop methodologies to measure and quantify our impact in collaboration with different partners and organisations, so that we can measure our progress against the Sustainable Development Goals.

Hiker in green windcheater, cap and dark trekking trousers stand on mountain peak rock. Misty spring day
ROCKWOOL on decarbonisation
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ROCKWOOL on embodied carbon
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ROCKWOOL on stone
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ROCKWOOL decarbonisation, It's time, globe

Measuring our product impact

ROCKWOOL insulation products save an enormous amount of energy, significantly reducing the associated greenhouse gas emissions in both buildings and industry.

The fact that thermal efficiency of our product does not deteriorate over time is an important reason for this. Over the lifetime of its use (50 years as an average), ROCKWOOL building insulation sold in 2024 will save 880 TWh, equivalent to more than 88 million homes’ annual electricity use in the United States. So while our production is energy-intensive we are saving far more – actually, 100 times more energy than is consumed to make these products.

Our other stone wool products support sustainable modern living within water management, sound insulation, building aesthetics, and horticultural growing solutions for professional greenhouse growers.

Stone wool is circular and can be recycled indefinitely with no loss of performance.

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Taking energy saving further with SBTi

ROCKWOOL has signed up to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and committed to a verified and approved plan for an ambitious one-third reduction of our lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by 2034, using 2019 as the baseline.

This includes reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 38 percent by 2034 and our Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2034.

The SBTi is a partnership among CDP, United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute, and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and has been created to drive ambitious climate action in the private sector by mobilising companies to set science-based reduction targets.

UN Global Compact

The UN Global Compact is a principle-based framework for businesses, stating ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the envionment and anti-corruption. It is a voluntary initiative based on CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles and to take steps to support UN goals.

ROCKWOOL decarbonisation infographics

Investing in innovation

Reduction of our factories’ direct emissions is a key focus of our technological innovation. That is why we’re pioneering large scale electric melting technology, well suited for countries where the electricity grid is already low carbon.

For years, ROCKWOOL has also made substantial investments in developing fuel-flexible melting technology. Now we’re reaping the benefits, as this technology allows us to transition from coal and coke to less carbon-intensive fuels in the facilities where it is used.

The most recent example of the impact of this technological innovation is at our Flumroc factory in Switzerland. In 2024, ROCKWOOL replaced the coal-fired melting furnace at this factory with an electrical one, powered entirely by certified, renewable electricity from Swiss hydropower. The result is a reduction in annual CO2 emissions from the factory by 75 percent, equivalent to 25,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.