Kenoteq, a building materials supplier based in Edinburgh, has been recognised for its efforts to reduce the energy required to produce bricks at the 2022 VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards.
The company scooped the Circular Scotland Award and was one of 12 winners at the annual event in Glasgow on Tuesday 1 November, whittled down from 45 finalists from a record breaking 422 entrants across Scotland.
Kenoteq, has created the K-briq®, which contains more than 90% recycled construction and demolition waste, uses a tenth of the energy in its production compared to a traditional brick and has a 90% lower carbon footprint. It is also now targeting becoming a net carbon neutral business.
Sam Chapman, Managing Director of Kenoteq, said: “We are proud to have been recognised at this year’s VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards as the winner of the Circular Scotland awards. It is a real testament to the hard work and commitment from everyone at Kenoteq.
“The Awards are a fantastic way to find out about what other businesses are doing. You are able to share best practice amongst a like-minded community, who also want to improve their operations whilst benefitting the environment. It is a great opportunity to inspire others to follow suit.”
VIBES is a partnership between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), The Scottish Government, Energy Saving Trust, Highland & Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Water, Zero Waste Scotland and NatureScot.
Richard Lochhead, Scottish Government Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, addressed the award ceremony and said: “The VIBES awards are a fantastic demonstration of the work that businesses all across Scotland are doing to protect our environment and tackle the climate crisis.
“I would like to congratulate all the winners and I hope they will offer inspiration and ideas to other businesses looking to make their work more sustainable.”
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “As a nation we need to do things differently to end our contribution to the climate crisis, and businesses play a vital role in helping to deliver that change.
“I hope the VIBES 2022 awards will inspire businesses with innovative ideas to lead change in their industry, strengthen Scotland’s growing circular economy, and help shape the sustainable approach to consumption that we must evolve. Congratulations to all of the winners.”
Since 1999, VIBES has recognised more than 270 businesses championing sustainability and taking steps to protect the resources of our planet. Their dedication and action, from increasing recycling to supporting active travel, has been at the forefront of tackling climate change.
Franceska van Dijk, Deputy Chair of SEPA and judge of this year’s awards commented: “Scotland is famous for its culture of innovation, making it ideally positioned to play a leading role in the journey to a more sustainable, low carbon future.
“We all have a role to play in tackling climate challenges, and it’s particularly significant for businesses. From creating innovative services and products to partnering with suppliers and supporting customers, all our entrants demonstrated a commitment to making the environment a key factor in decision making.”
Gillian Bruce, Chair of VIBES, added: “Every year, we see more and more businesses and organisations who are working towards net zero carbon emissions, which is a challenging but necessary journey.
“This year’s VIBES winners are clearly demonstrating business cases for reducing their environmental footprint – highlighting the social benefits, as well as the positive economic impacts. We hope the efforts of our winners will encourage and inspire others to develop their environmental practices.”
More information is available on the VIBES website.
The winners of the VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards 2022 are:
| Adapting Scotland Award – Highlands Rewilding Ltd, based in Drumnodrochit, aims to help rewild, re-people and upskill the Scottish Highlands. It has increased carbon capture and storage, biodiversity, and green jobs through work at its two estates – Bunloit and Beldorney. |
| Circular Scotland Award – Kenoteq, based in Edinburgh, is a building materials supplier and has created the K-briq®, which contains more than 90% recycled construction and demolition waste, uses a tenth of the energy in its production compared to a traditional brick and has a 90% lower carbon footprint. It is also now targeting becoming a net carbon neutral business. |
| Engaging Scotland Award – The Highland Council. After declaring a climate emergency in 2019, the local authority developed the Hydro Ness project to use historical infrastructure to create renewable energy, a STEM learning hub and tourist destination. It has also reused waste materials to landscape and create community spaces. |
| Hydro Nation Scotland Award – Green Action Trust, based in Shotts, is an environmental regeneration charity and is responsible for the Central Scotland Green Network, the largest green infrastructure project in Europe. It is undertakingwork on derelict land, helping to show what is possible in areas facing socio-economic challenges.Initiatives include promoting the development of 10,000 rain gardens across Scotland, specially designed features in our urban landscape which capture and store rainfall. It also aims to become Net Zero by 2030. |
| Innovating Scotland Award – Innovatium Group is a micro business in Glasgow developing technology solutions for industrial decarbonisation and energy resilience. Its primary project, PRISMA, provides a 20.5% improvement on energy storage, leading to significant carbon savings. |
| Leadership Scotland Award – Bruichladdich Distillery Co Ltd is a whisky and gin distiller based on the Isle of Islay. The company monitors environmental impacts across all aspects of the business, having already switched to 100% green electricity and making additional packaging optional for customers. It also aims to decarbonise distillation by 2025 and be Net Zero by 2050. |
| Moving Scotland Award – Arran Dairies Ltd is a family run business supplying food and drink products across the island. It is carbon neutral and managed to cut 10,000 food miles through use of local production and transport logistics. It has also achieved significant reductions in water use and plastic waste. |
| Partnership Scotland Award – Renfrewshire Council worked on a project to develop a low-carbon energy network. The first of its kind in Scotland, it converts treated wastewater to provide heating and hot water to nearby facilities. |
| Product or Service Scotland Award – ThermaFY Eco, based in Kelso, is a company identifying innovative ways to maximise energy efficiency of homes, producing a service using thermal imaging and a mobile app to empower homeowners to begin their own Net Zero journey. |
| Energy Transition Scotland Award – Multiplex Construction Europe recently completed work on the University of Glasgow’s Advance Research Centre. The building project outperformed the building regulations CO2 emission rate by around 40%, saving 1,300 tCO2 over the next decade. |
| Nature Rich Scotland Award – SRUC Elmwood Golf in Cupar, Fife, has used innovative greenkeeping practices to create a high-quality golf course, rich in biodiversity. The number of moth species at the course has increased, the use of pesticides has seen a 100% reduction, along with reductions in landfill, paper and cardboard waste. |
| Small Business Scotland Award – EGG Lighting, based in Glasgow, helps businesses plan and install LED lighting and sensors, aiming to make lighting circular by using a remanufacturing model to save money and energy whilst providing sustainable, long-term lighting solutions, reducing client lighting costs as well as CO2 emissions. |
The following businesses were commended at the VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards 2022:
| Commended – Product or Service Scotland – Trade Right International – Redeem Exchange, based in Greenock, offers an innovative, cost-saving and environmentally friendly solution to reduce plastic waste going to landfill through a collect, wash, refill, and return service for plastic hand sanitiser bottles. By introducing a circular economy approach, they can extend the life cycle of the plastic bottles by up to 50 times. |
| Commended – Moving Scotland – Recycke-a-Bike, based in Stirling, is a bicycling and training organisation focused on helping people by repairing old bikes and selling them. 50,000 bikes have been saved from landfill and 1,300 pre-loved and repurposed sold in the last year. |
About VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards
- VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards is further supported by CBI Scotland, the Institute of Directors (IoD), Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Bright Green Business, Scottish Council for Development and Industry and the Scotch Whisky Association.
- The VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards reward and recognise organisations that have demonstrated significant business benefits from good environmental practice.
- Entries are open to all Scottish-based businesses including private sector businesses, social enterprises and community businesses but excluding VIBES partners, supporters and current sponsors. If the entry focuses on a collaboration or partnership approach, there must be at least one private sector business, social enterprise or community business involved. Other partners can include public sector organisations and charities.
- A panel of experts from VIBES partner organisations assessed applications to choose a shortlist of finalists. Finalists received site visits from a team of judges from across VIBES partner organisations for a further detailed assessment. Feedback from these visits helped inform the Head Judging Panel, comprised of Franceska van Dijk, Deputy Chair of SEPA, Jane Morrison Ross, CEO of South of Scotland Enterprise and Professor Elise Cartmell, Chief Scientist at Scottish Water.
The VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards 2022 sponsors are Chivas Brothers and the University of Stirling Management School.
The main aims of the awards:
- Encourage the efficient use of resources
- Enhance the competitiveness of businesses
- Improve environmental performance
- Support the wider goals of sustainable development