Sustainability post-covid building a better world

Sustainability, reducing energy use, cutting carbon emissions and slowing the effects of climate change are all top of the agenda for people around the world, and that's certainly true for us here at Marley.

At the start of the pandemic, there was a lot of anxiety as we all stayed at home and tried to understand what was happening. But there was one silver lining: we discovered an opportunity for change – shifts in behaviour that would positively impact our families, businesses, communities and the world.    

Whether it was driving less, working from home, spending more time with our families, or bringing back an appreciation for our outdoor spaces, lockdown showed us that there are other ways to live our lives – and that change can be quick, if we are suitably motivated.

“Home” became so much more    

Because of COVID-19, we learned how to do a lot of things at home. We worked, educated, exercised and shopped from home. For many of us, our flats and houses became where we spent all of our time, with only necessary trips out for supplies being allowed.  While we’re all looking forward to “getting back to normal” in many ways, we have also realised that “normal” had its problems – for our personal lives, our communities and the environment.

Being at home led to an improved work/life balance, saving money and cutting our transportation, and therefore reducing the toll that the daily commute has on our lives, our bank accounts and the environment.

Home improvement was a big theme of the pandemic, and we have carried out extensive research to learn about the impact that 2020 had on the way people live their lives and use their homes. You can read more about it in our whitepaper: Raising the roof: Homes and communities in a post-covid UK.

During lockdown, people took the opportunity to decorate, do repairs, make efficiency upgrades and start gardening. But as restrictions ease, those trends are expected to continue, with a quarter of homeowners saying they want to improve their properties further.    

We also learned to value our local communities, and discussions have emerged about ‘polo mint’ economies, reviving local high streets and the promotion of ‘15-minute cities’. Since the pandemic began, 73% of homeowners, 64% of private tenants and 66% of social housing tenants have spent more or the same amount of time in their local communities.

Many people have also made the decision to move home. Between a fifth and a quarter of all tenants say they are now looking to move because of their experiences in the past year – a possible sign of the volatility and general dissatisfaction people have with the rental market.

There is also an increased desire to move from urban areas into the suburbs or rural locations, with people inspired by their newfound ability to work from home and improve their lives beyond the nine to five. You can find out more about how the pandemic has impacted the way we live by downloading our whitepaper: Raising the roof: Homes and communities in a post-covid UK.

So, how do architects, specifiers, housebuilders, landlords, and social housing providers respond to these emerging, potentially long-term trends? Particularly in regard to the ongoing challenges of providing high-quality, affordable housing that also achieves national sustainability targets? Those are the big questions – we don’t have all the answers yet, but we’ll do what we can to find solutions.

Marley cares... but we can also do more

Here at Marley, issues such as the environment, local communities and the lives of end users are all important. Of course, as a business, we want to meet the demands of the industry – but it’s more personal too. The people in our team want to ensure that we’re doing everything we can to make the world a better place. And sustainability is at the heart of that desire.

We’ve worked hard to ensure our product range provides environmentally friendly solutions for specifiers, architects and contractors, as well as the end users.

• Roof tiles – Our clay tiles and concrete tiles all have an A+ rating in the BRE Green Guide, and using them can earn credits under BREEAM and HQM. Our innovative EcoLogic roof tile comprises 50% recycled materials and has a unique coating that absorbs harmful pollutants from the atmosphere.
• Timber products – Our roofing battens, decking and cedar shingles and shakes are made from PEFC certified wood.
• Solar tiles – Our roof-integrated solar tiles replace standard roofing tiles, giving the benefit of both roof covering and electricity generation.

In addition, we are actively looking into other roofing products and solutions that contribute to both the finished building’s environmental rating and the wellbeing and happiness of the occupants.

This means that new products and innovations are in Marley’s future – but also that our team has a wealth of knowledge about the solutions available. And we are happy to advise on the best way to achieve a low-carbon, sustainable, beautiful and long-lasting roof using our own products, as well as the array of other roofing components on the market.

How can we help you construct the future?

While we’ve already done some things to contribute to a more sustainable world, there’s a lot more work to be done. We’re working on it, but we want to know what our customers think too. 

So, please tell us! We want to start conversations, get ideas and make a difference for all of our customers – developers, homeowners, local authorities, architects, specifiers and installers. Whether you have an idea, want to see a specific product or have a challenge that you don’t know how to solve, we want to hear from you. Our experts are on hand to discuss your requirements, help you meet targets and advise on roofing solutions, so talk to us today.