A Huddersfield-based manufacturer of quality home and commercial interior products has invested £250,000 to future-proof the company’s green credentials.
Colnebridge-based Green & Brown has implemented a programme of sustainability initiatives which significantly reduces the company’s carbon footprint.
The investment follows the firm’s recent move to a new 130,000 sq ft factory, just off the A62 Leeds Road.
Amongst the company’s new green initiatives is the installation of a 300kWh solar panel system on its roof. The system, which covers approximately 40% of the roof, is likely to be further expanded in the future.
Job Brown, operations director at Green & Brown, said: “It was clear to us for a long time that the right way forward for the business was to invest in a more sustainable energy infrastructure which would provide us with the power we need in a more environmentally friendly way.
“To make the decision, we considered a range of options before deciding to work with Path Energy to deliver our needs.”
The new solar power system will generate 250mWh per year, of which Green & Brown will use 130mWh with the balance being exported to the national grid. This means 33% of the firm’s energy will be generated from the solar panels, and during daylight hours, the factory will be 70% self-sufficient.
Moreover, as part of the investment, Green & Brown has also replaced all lighting with more efficient LED lights across the whole site.
Doing so has not only improved the factory’s energy usage but also provided better quality lighting for its more than 170 staff.
The installation of the system is expected to reduce the energy required for lighting by up to 33%, demonstrating a commitment to the company’s ongoing mission to minimise its carbon footprint and the impact commercial activities have on the environment.
Job added: “Improving the quality of lighting in the factory has had myriad benefits. By reducing the energy needed to light the premises by a third, we have reduced our environmental impact, and additionally supported our craftspeople with better lighting.
“The effect of this is positive for staff health and ensures even higher quality products for our customers.
“These steps represent only phase one of our green plans as we continue to look at further environmental improvements to our factory.”
Green & Brown has also pledged to continue to explore new and emerging technologies to understand whether they will support its green agenda in the future. These technologies include air and ground source heat pumps, hybrid and electric cars, and voltage optimisation.
As part of its wider environmental practices, Green & Brown also offers a selection of soft fabric furnishings made from recycled linen fabrics or polyesters made from recycled plastics. Moreover 80% of the company’s product packaging contains recycled materials, further reducing its environmental impact.
Green & Brown manufactures and sells a wide range of blinds, curtains, shutters, cushions and lamp shades. Around 90% of the products manufactured by Green & Brown are sold through its sister retail company’s market-leading websites www.blindsdirect.co.uk and www.polesdirect.com.
In 2023, Green & Brown manufactured and distributed across the UK over 400,000 made to measure window blinds and curtains, plus over 60,000 curtain poles. Learn more at www.green-brown.co.uk.
