Have Jave Sustainability

HaveJave’s impact on the climate.

HaveJave is a new company and part of Steeltronix, we cooperate together to share production knowledge and resources amongst other things. So how will we actively track, measure, calculate, and mitigate our impact? This will vary slightly from how we tackle this at Steeltronix, and just because we help create garden and green urban environments, does not give us a free pass.

We produce amongst other things, steel products, and the production and use of Corten Steel has an impact. To help mitigate this we focus on designs that incorporate nature, this is something that we cannot measure or track. Moving forwards we will collect data on our production and use this to identify oppurtunities that mitigiate our impact on the environment.

Who is behind HaveJave?

We are largely the same team behind Steeltronix, with a few additional designers. Owen, with a background in logistics, engineering, and environmental science, is passionate about product design that reduces lifecycle impact. He looks forward to creating products that enhance gardens and urban environments by balancing aesthetics with biodiversity. Karol, experienced in logistics and supply chain management, is eager to streamline our supply chain to be leaner, less wasteful, and more environmentally friendly. Tom, an engineer with experience in sales, construction management, and business ownership, is focused on advancing the company towards sustainable production, reducing waste, and achieving partial energy self-sufficiency through solar power.

Like Steeltronix, we must mitigate our impact and that of our customers. We are fortunate to work with products that can enhance the environment and biodiversity, but we must go further. Our goal is to reduce energy consumption, maximize steel usage, minimize scrap, and make mindful decisions regarding recycled packaging and shipping.

Our company aims to focus on garden and urban environment products that positively impact the environment.

How can HaveJave reduce their impact?

Much like Steeltronix we will be focussing on ”quids in for the climate”

HaveJave is a newly established company that understands the value of sustainable products and their long-term financial benefits. With sustainability as one of its principles, HaveJave aims to develop innovative solutions that reduce environmental impact and contribute to a healthier planet. After the return on investment is met, we hope that the company can reinvest this extra profit margin to further the sustainable development of the company.

HaveJave can reduce its environmental impact by focusing on life cycle design strategies, including the use of recycled materials, energy-efficient manufacturing, and designing products with longer lifespans. Corten Steel exemplifies this approach, known for its durability and suitability as a 'slow fashion material.' Unlike other companies implementing take-back programs, this would be impractical for Corten Steel, which is designed to last. After 50-80 years, any remaining Corten Steel can be recycled as standard steel. However, it's crucial to prioritize better design from the start, rather than relying on take-back programs.

HaveJave will prioritize sustainable materials and manufacturing processes where possible. We will look to reduce waste and minimise the carbon footprint. Balance costs while still prioritising sustainability, showing both businesses and consumers the importance of environmentally friendly practices. We produce mostly in Corten Steel, we can produce in hot dipped galvinized steel or powder coated steel, however please bear in mind that.

We produce mostly in Corten Steel, we can produce in hot dipped galvinized steel or powder coated steel, however please bear in mind that.

  1. Hot-Dip Galvanized (HDG) Steel uses zinc, a critical mineral that should be conserved for other products. The CO2 footprint of HDG steel is 10% higher, and Corten steel lasts longer, making Corten the better choice from a life cycle analysis perspective.
  2. Powder-Coated Steel has a CO2 footprint 10-15% higher than Corten steel. It also has lower longevity compared to HDG and Corten steel. Additionally, UV exposure causes powder coating to fade and degrade over time. Powder coating uses polymers that degrade, becoming brittle, cracking, and flaking off into small particles, which contaminate soil and water. While we can powder coat, we will insist on using high-quality, UV-resistant powder coating to mitigate this impact.

Explore ways for HaveJave and the companies we work for to actively reduce their environmental impact through various strategies such as recycling, energy-efficient manufacturing processes, or using renewable materials.

Discussing the concept of “quids in for the climate” and how investing in sustainable products can provide long-term financial benefits, companies can continue to save money and contribute to a healthier planet after the return on investment is met.

What will HaveJave work on in 2024/2025?

  1. **Material Database Creation**: We will create a database for the materials used by us and our suppliers. Initially, we'll use generic industry values, but as we track our actual impact and validate data, we'll update these values with the goal of achieving significantly lower figures than the industry average. 
  2. **Engaging the Workforce**: We're engaging our production workforce to optimize material usage and sort waste for recycling. We're also encouraging employees to adopt sustainable practices; change takes time, but it is possible.
  3. **Corten Steel Offcuts**: We have introduced sorting of Corten Steel offcuts, which are reused for brackets, letters, numbers, pickets, and more. Our current waste is approximately 15-20%, and our goal is to reduce this to 5% by the end of 2025.
  4. **Corten Steel Recycling**: Currently, Corten Steel scrap is recycled with regular steel. However, we're discussing with waste management services the possibility of sorting Corten Steel scraps exclusively, as it has a higher value and is more beneficial to recycle directly into new Corten Steel.
  5. **Waste Management**: We've implemented waste sorting in production, categorizing plastics, paper, cardboard, metal, and wood.
  6. **Solar Panels**: We're conducting a business study to implement solar panels at our production facilities.

Why?

Sustainability is the topic of the day, and while Owen is wary of the term's overuse, we aim to go beyond token remedies. Instead of simply sustaining current production and consumption paradigms, HaveJave is committed to reducing the impact of our products and offering solutions with a sustainability margin for our customers. We recognize the challenges of working with steel and the difficulty of reaching net zero, but our goal is to minimize our environmental footprint rather than rely on remedies or credits.

HaveJave isn’t just about producing standard corten steel products. We strive to balance meeting customer requirements with delivering thoughtful, environmentally considerate solutions. Examples include:

  1. **Biodiverse Garden Designs**: Our Girsu range of sectioned planters allows for diverse plantings—different grasses, meadow flowers, ferns—creating biodiversity islands that enhance garden aesthetics.
  2. **Insect Habitats**: We offer inserts for wood sheds that can hold ornaments, twigs, moss, and other materials to increase insect biodiversity.
  3. **Ponds and Fountains**: We also provide ponds and fountains to enhance biodiversity, with some designs incorporating pumps to circulate and oxygenate the water.

Our focus is to design custom products that either incorporate the environment or, at the very least, limit environmental impact.