RESOURCE CENTRE REQUEST A QUOTE HOME ABOUT OUR PRODUCTS PHYLLITE SLATE RESOURCES CASE STUDIES CONTACT US Sustainability Guarantees for up to 100 years 40 years’ expertise World-class natural slate Uncompromising quality standards Sustainably sourced slate At SSQ, we take our environmental responsibility extremely seriously. Our mining and slate production processes are designed to limit environmental impact and reduce any associated carbon emissions. Sustainability is at the heart of what we do, and we always ensure that our activities adhere to our founding principles. At SSQ we: • Only work with quarries who share our commitment to using environmentally friendly methods • Strive to reduce waste material production wherever possible • Minimise transport emissions through well-planned logistical networks • Ensure all SSQ employees are trained in the latest environmental protection practices • Promote transparent working by allowing public access to our environmental policies • Endorse the concept of reducing our environmental footprint Find Out More Natural slate for a more sustainable future Natural slate is, perhaps, the greenest roofing material available today. It is formed through hundreds of millions of years of geological processes and contains zero synthetic substances or chemicals. Material comparison At SSQ, we have spent decades researching and developing our slate production processes. SSQ slate has some of the lowest levels of embodied carbon of any construction material. When compared to other roofing materials, slate has by far the lowest carbon footprint. In terms of CO² emissions, the most popular roofing materials differ significantly. Material CO² emissions per kilo Slate 0.005 Concrete 0.19 Clay 0.43 Environmentally friendly production When compared to other roofing materials, natural slate requires very little processing. Low power electric diamond cutters are used to quarry the material with much of the slate splitting still done by hand. Although quarrying natural slate does have an impact on the natural environment, it is nowhere near as damaging as the kilns used to process clay tiles or the chemicals involved in concrete production. Once deplete of resources SSQ slate quarries are often used for outdoor pursuits such as rock climbing and lake diving. Any waste materials or off-cuts can also be used as slate chippings for driveways or patio areas or as crazy paving. This focus on limiting environmental impact in innovative ways makes slate an industry leading material in the fight against climate change. Contact Us SSQ sustainability accreditations Third-party accreditations help our customers to understand our commitment to sustainability. They ensure that we are continuously striving to find new and better ways of producing building materials with as little environmental impact as possible. At SSQ, we have a gold standard Carbon offset certificate for our work with the East Africa Borehole Project, and are currently in the process of being added to the BREEAM green book. We also have the ISO 14001 environmental standards certification for our main partners in Spain. Contact Us Longevity and weather performance One of the most important sustainability considerations is the life expectancy of a building material. Roof replacements and repairs create carbon emissions which impact the environment, so the longer a material lasts, the better its green credentials. On average, natural slate can last more than three times longer than other roofing materials. That’s over 100 years, and in many cases, longer than the life expectancy of the building on which it’s installed. Finally, natural slate has outstanding weather resistance capacity. It is extremely resistance against heat, wind, rain, snow, and ice and can withstand some of the harshest weather conditions in the world. When independently tested for its environmental impact, natural slate scored the highest overall Green Rating of ‘A’ under BREEAM assessment testing criteria. Contact Us Testimonials The choice of slates was made easier due to the quality of product you provide and the support of Gary Firth throughout the process – which I much appreciate. Gary is a good ambassador for your company. Pat Murray, Senior Project Engineer, Alvance Group CASE STUDY Del Carmen and NRA Roofing rise to challenge on complex school installation 1 2 3 4 5 301 Elveden Road Park Royal London NW10 7SS 020 8961 7725 info@ssq.co.uk Natural Slate Products Riverstone Del Carmen Domiz Matacouta Del Prado Silverstone Architectural Stone Useful Links Resource Centre Technical Articles Ultra Cover Guarantees Why choose SSQ? What is Phyllite? Slate vs Alternatives © Copyright 2021 Spanish Slate Quarries UK Ltd | Company no. 08584514 | Website terms and privacy policy