Landmark deal brings low-carbon aluminium to the US building sector

While millions of residents in major American cities were starting their day in sleek high-rise apartments, a significant agreement was being finalized in an unassuming office located in Mumbai. This agreement involved Indian producers and Reflection Window and Wall (RWW), aimed at ensuring those future generations of stunning skyscrapers would be constructed using low-carbon aluminium materials. These materials are defined as having less than 4 kilograms of carbon (kgCO2e) per kilogram of aluminium (kgAL), representing a remarkable carbon reduction of 75-85 per cent compared to current averages from US producers and other global sources of aluminium.

This development marks a significant milestone, particularly in light of the projected doubling of the required buildings by 2060. A staggering 40 per cent of global carbon emissions are attributed directly to the construction industry and the built environment. Take, for instance, the production of aluminium extrusions, which traditionally results in the release of 15-25 kilograms of carbon into the atmosphere for every kilogram of aluminium manufactured, depending on the country of origin. Now, consider a typical high-rise building standing 50 stories tall, which demands approximately 250,000 square feet of aluminium facade. Each square foot of this facade contains roughly 4 pounds of aluminium, amounting to over a million pounds of aluminium per building.

With this groundbreaking agreement and the environmental product declaration accompanying this new sustainable aluminium source, the carbon emissions related to producing this aluminium framing have the potential to be reduced dramatically. Instead of the previously mentioned 15-25 million pounds of carbon emissions, this new sustainable source could bring that number down to just 2.5 million pounds of carbon for the entire building facade. This equates to a remarkable 90 per cent reduction in carbon emissions without incurring additional costs for the developer or the project.

The US-based Reflection Window and Wall, LLC (RWW), Glass Wall Systems India (GWS), and Global Aluminium Private Limited (GAP) in India have united to spearhead a transformation towards a zero-cost, green future. This pioneering endeavour encompasses international accords, spanning from primary metals mining to the entire value chain, culminating in an unprecedented, multilateral exclusive arrangement encompassing extrusion, finishing, fabrication, and end-to-end customer delivery to the United States.

Rodrigo d’Escoto, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of RWW, said,  “If humans were inclined to sacrifice comfort or financial security to do the right thing for each other and the planet, we would have done it already. With this agreement, we are achieving massive progress to make the world a cooler place while eliminating the paradox for building developers of choosing between a healthy planet and a healthy bottom line. To that end, we have achieved what no one thought possible by partnering with key allies in the largest sister democracy in the world to make these low-carbon building materials widely available in the U.S. at zero additional cost to their dirty, cheap counterparts on both small retail and large commercial scales.”

“Thanks to this agreement, whether you’re a small contractor replacing windows in a local school or a major corporation manufacturing facades for a skyscraper, now the best option for your best price is also the best option for our world.”