Cradle to Cradle Certified® certification for “Roto AL” and “Roto AL Designo”

As such, aluminium window manufacturers now benefit from easier access to verified product information. Now, data that previously took a great deal of time and effort to compile is analysed and structured before being made available. 

A wide range of products for complete flexibility

The “Designo STS” and “Designo STS 180°” concealed hinge sides, which were recently launched on the market, have also been tested and certified. With this step, manufacturers of aluminium windows now have access to a particularly wide range of hardware, making it simpler for them to have their own products certified. A list of all C2C Certified® Roto products is available to download from here: ftt.roto-frank.com/en/c2c. 

Clear targets

The designation “Full Scope” indicates that all certified Roto products meet, as a minimum, the requirements of the specified standard in five out of five categories, according to science-based criteria. All products and facilities were assessed across the categories of Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air and Climate Protection, Water and Soil Stewardship, and Social Fairness.

“A product range that is C2C Certified® as ‘Full Scope’ therefore provides a development framework for the entire company,” explains Daniel Zähringer, Head of Sustainability at Roto Window and Door Technology. A C2C Certified® certificate is valid for just three years. To be recertified, it is necessary to demonstrate that at least one measurable improvement has been made in at least one of the five program categories since the prior certification. The principle of continuous improvement applies. “Roto is constantly working to improve Material Health, Circularity and supply chain transparency. In future, we will be assessing progress on the basis of the Cradle to Cradle Certified® standard, among other criteria.” 

Looking back and looking ahead

What serves as a development framework for Roto offers aluminium window manufacturers, more than anything else, practical benefits in their day-to-day operations. For instance, they can draw on verified and assessed information for tenders, building certifications or sustainability assessments. This reduces their workload and speeds up their processes. 

At the same time, fabricators of “Roto AL” or “Roto AL Designo” enjoy the benefits of greater planning certainty because Roto, as a key system partner, continues to develop its products in line with an established, independent standard.

“Our customers aren’t primarily purchasing sustainability. They’re buying reliability, planning certainty and easy access to reliable product information,” explains Zähringer. He is convinced that: “Anyone who uses certified components at an early stage will gain a competitive edge when bidding for projects with high requirements for transparency and forward-looking materials strategies. C2C Certified® Full Scope Bronze under Version 4.1 signifies that this product has been comprehensively tested for circularity and material health.”

Focused on the future

“Nowadays, C2C Certified® certificates are important for practical product and project work in metal construction,” emphasises Matthias Nagat, Head of Aluvision Sales and Product Management at Roto Window and Door Technology. “Roto is the first hardware manufacturer to offer full support. A C2C Certified® window system offers a genuine competitive advantage in all projects where building certification under DGNB, LEED or BREEAM is planned, which is now the case for a great many investor-led projects worldwide.” Market trends clearly indicate that C2C assessments of construction products are becoming increasingly important. Roto initially focused its certification on hardware technology for aluminium window manufacturers, as there is already high demand for certified products from this group of customers. 

Premium today, standard tomorrow

A building that is certified to LEED, BREEAM or DGNB standards enjoys greater market acceptance amongst tenants and property funds. It offers better prospects for funding and will comply with regulatory requirements for a longer time even as they become more stringent in future. Builders, investors and auditors are therefore increasingly looking for construction products whose materials, manufacturing processes and recycling pathways are transparent and therefore easy to assess. This is precisely where the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2CPII), based in San Francisco and Amsterdam, comes into play. It was founded in 2010 and has operated as an independent certification body and licensor since 2012. 

Recyclable materials in the cycle

Cradle to Cradle is a product design concept that regards all materials as resources. Durable goods such as hardware and windows should, at the end of their useful life, be dismantled and reused to manufacture a new product of the same quality, without any downcycling. This is why they are also examined to determine whether they are made from materials that are harmless and safe for people and the environment. 

A comprehensive analysis

As far as possible, energy from renewable sources should be used in the manufacture of these products. The responsible use of vital resources such as water and healthy soil is just as important for the C2C Certified® certification as the fair treatment of people in the supply chain. 

In summary, the successfully completed certification process confirms that each of the listed Roto products meets strict, science-based requirements in the categories of Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air and Climate Protection, Water and Soil Stewardship, and Social Fairness.