Sustainable development
Our environmental responsibility
A commitment to the environment
Since its creation in 1982, the Novatech Group has always been highly committed to the community and to the impact of its operations on its employees, local communities and the general public. This way of being is much more than a commitment; it is based on the values that are the foundation of all the decisions and successes of the Novatech Group. The management and employees of Novatech believe strongly that environmental and social responsibility and success go hand in hand. Consequently, the Novatech Group works tirelessly towards increasing its environmental standards and the safety of its products.
As such, energy efficiency and environmental concerns represent an inevitable priority at all levels of the organization. Whether it’s related to our “lean” manufacturing processes or our recycling programs, we make a concerted effort to conserve resources and to eliminate waste at all levels of the organization.
Over the last few years, we have worked on several projects that are in harmony with the environment. Here are the highlights:
- Construction of a solar wall during the expansion of the entry door plant in 2006. This wall provides much of the heating in winter and eliminates 60 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
- Over the past 12 months, 355 tons of raw materials such as glass, steel, other metals, plastic, paper and cardboard, ink cartridges, batteries, aluminum and wood have been collected for recycling. This represents a recycling rate of 74%. Our aim is to reach a recycling rate of 80% for raw materials.
- The creation of an electronic database for our filing system in order to reduce the use of paper (reduction of 20% of paper use in the offices).
- Implementation of a water recuperation system in two of the group’s plants.
- Replacement of all the existing light bulbs in the plants and offices with energy efficient ones.
- Replacement of the expanded polystyrene packaging with recycled and recyclable cardboard.
Novatech’s industrial activities do not send any pollutant in the air or water.
Novatech: Over 600 Energy Star approved products!
Novatech: Winner of the prestigious Energy Star Advocate of the year award in 2007.
The Novatech Group is aware that products must not only be aesthetic, performing and affordable but also must help families reduce their energy consumption.
With this in mind, Novatech became the entry door Energy Star leader, as symbolized by its large number of certified door and doorglass products. As well we have put in place an unrivalled support program for our door manufacturer customers to help them obtain Energy Star certification of their finished door systems using Novatech’s certification data.
As a result of Canada and the international communities’ clear desire to reduce green house gas emissions, Novatech ensured that it had products in all product families that meet the Energy Star standard. This voluntary standard allows consumers to select the most energy efficient products. It is also important to note that Novatech, unlike many of its competitors, uses both Low E glass and argon gas in its Energitech units since the 1980’s. The Office of Energy Efficiency (The organization that manages the Energy Star program in Canada) presented to Novatech in 2007 the Energy Star Advocate of the Year award as recognition of the Novatech Energy Star door and doorglass program. As part of this program, energy efficiency tests were and continue to be performed on our products to ensure that they meet the stringent Energy Star standards. The US Energy Star program requires different performance levels to be met, particularly in the south, where reducing air conditioning costs are the goal. To meet these standards Novatech uses a different type of Low E glass specifically designed for those climates.
PVC - a first choice in materials!
PVC is a material that is being used more and more in the construction industry. It offers many advantages:
| Ecological |
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| Energy efficiency |
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| Versatility |
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| Safety |
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| Durability |
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| Affordability |
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Novatech's environmental efforts have been recognized across Québec. RCI environnement has created a video presentation to highlight Novatech’s daily actions geared towards preserving our planet. This 45-second video was shown 600 times in the various broadcasts by V télé during the weeks of July 12, 19 and 26, 2010 (in the Montreal, Quebec City and Trois-Rivières regions).
Please note that the video is available in French only.
Energitech Option
A smart choice for your home, a responsible choice for the environment!
Energitech option (Low E glass and argon gas), offering 63% greater energy efficiency than ordinary clear glass, is available on our products.
A smart choice:
Low E glass: this is an energy-saving, high efficiency glass with an invisible coating. It is responsible for about 70% of the performance in the Energitech option.
Argon gas is an inert gas- colourless, odourless, tasteless and non toxic – injected into the air space in the low emission sealed insulating glass units. It is responsible for about 30% of the performance in the Energitech option.
Low E glass and Argon gas block the passage of heat energy. They keep your rooms warmer in winter and cooler in summer, thus reducing your energy costs and increasing your comfort.
A responsible choice:
For the same house fitted with identical doors and windows, selecting the Low E glass and Argon gas option reduces greenhouse gasses (CO2) by half a ton per year.**
This is a major contribution to environmental conservation.
** comparison based on a 30’ x 46’ (9.14m x 14.0m) south facing bungalow in Montreal with oil fired central heating and 13 openings (doors and windows).
HCFC free Entry doors and Palace Panels
The polyurethane insulation used in Novatech’s entry doors is 100% HCFC free, thus protecting the Earth’s precious ozone layer. This is another pro-environmental choice made by the group.
Always aware of its impact on the environment, Novatech developed the Palace Panel which reuses the center part of the door cutout for the doorglass. It transforms it into a decorative panel with the help of our doorglass frames to create a luxurious entry door.
