Insulation Industry Spotlight: CSR Bradford 24 April 2023
Building solutions for a better future
“We think holistically about homes and how to improve their health and safety, at the same time as how our products can make life more comfortable for those living in them.”
CSR is one of Australia’s oldest manufacturing companies, and a leading supplier of premium energy-saving insulation products.
“Insulation has a key role to play in improving the energy efficiency of homes,” says Kathy Hocker, General Manager of Marketing & Customer Operations at CSR Bradford.
“With the National Construction Code now targeting a 7-star standard, we are excited to be supporting the change by providing the construction industry with high quality products such as glasswool batts insulation.”
But as Kathy notes, it’s not only new builds that need attention: millions of Australian homes were built before minimum energy efficiency standards were mandated.
“All housing needs to be well insulated, so improving the health and efficiency of older homes is also very important,” she says.
“This involves supporting homeowners though education about insulation, as well as giving them retrofit solutions to bring their homes up to the higher standards now seen in new builds.”
“Whether new or retrofit, insulation being behind the wall often means people don’t think much about it. The insulation industry can help to increase the conversation for homeowners and builders alike,” Kathy adds.
Sustainability is a core foundation of CSR’s strategy, and embedded into how they operate and grow.
One particularly exciting element of CSR is the way in which they reduce waste in the manufacturing process.
“Because we are a large company and produce numerous types of products and materials, we are in the unique position of being able to innovate and find recycling opportunities across material types. For example, re-using waste glasswool insulation as raw materials in the manufacture of other construction products. The manufacture of glasswool also uses up to 80% recycled glass.”
“We have a strong focus on targets to meet our sustainability objectives, which we have aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals that are most relevant to CSR, and the areas where we can make the greatest impact,” says Kathy.
Alongside sustainability, CSR also has a strong interest in community.
“We donate product and technical expertise to selected charitable organisations and support our staff to engage in volunteer activities. We also match staff donations dollar for dollar to selected charitable organisations,” says Kathy.
“For example, Bradford has been a long-term partner with local Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) New Horizons for over 10 years.
Through sustainable operations and engaging in community projects, CSR is creating opportunities to increase the confidence in – and awareness of – insulation. A win-win for everyone.