We think and act green: Santalucia Mobili’s sustainability goals

At Santalucia Mobili, sustainability was back in the spotlight for World Environment Day on 5 June. Following on from the “Adotta un alveare Bio” (Adopt an Organic Beehive) initiative helping to protect the environment and biodiversity, we’re back to tell you more about what we’re doing for a greener future.

We’re committed to the green cause and have achieved a lot so far by encouraging responsible behaviour and raising awareness about the importance of protecting the environment. These efforts span all our in-house production departments and actively involve all of our people. 

Goal #1: Save energy

The indoor and outdoor lighting at Santalucia Mobili’s production facilities and head office has been completely revamped, and all neon lights have been replaced with LEDs. This was a major investment and has resulted in a 50% annual saving (=199,000 kW/h) on lighting costs. 

LED lighting offers numerous advantages. It’s more efficient, thanks to a longer lifespan: on average, LEDs last 10 to 12 years – much longer than neon lights – so they don’t have to be constantly replaced and disposed of (we were replacing around 500 neon tubes every 18-24 months). The environmental impact of LED lighting is much lower, as LEDs are non-polluting: no mercury, or UV or infrared rays means significantly less CO₂ emissions (for us that means -86,279 kg).

Following a study carried out on how to increase our energy savings, we’ve also installed new compressors to further strengthen our efforts to go green. The results show significant energy savings at both our production plants in Prata di Pordenone, equating to 40% energy savings at the facility in Via Manin and 50% at the facility in Via Sagree. 

Goal #2: Eliminate special waste

We’ve installed an LNG heating and air-conditioning system at our production plant in Via Manin and in the offices, meaning we could replace the old wood-chip boilers with a gas system. The gas cylinder was installed by distribution company Liquigas and represents one of the first industrial distribution systems in Friuli Venezia Giulia..

By adopting a pure fuel like gas, we can help to eliminate the production of pollutants, slashing the environmental impact almost to zero: gone are emissions of dust, sulphur dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ash and dioxins. What’s more, since installing this system, operating hours have reduced by 60%. This corresponds to roughly 10-11 operating hours, 5 days a week.  

Goal #3: Use eco-friendly packaging

We’ve introduced sustainable packaging for our products, replacing shrink wrap with certified cardboard on our packaging line. 

Goal #4: Protect people and the environment through our everyday choices

At Santalucia Mobili, our sustainable and social commitment has become part of company culture and can be seen in even the smallest everyday choices. 

Take water consumption: the drinks vending machines are now stocked with bottles of WAMI (Water With a Mission). By purchasing these products, we’re supporting WAMI’s water projects, financing the construction of aqueducts in parts of the world where access to water continues to be a challenge. For each bottle purchased, 100 litres of drinking water are donated, and each bottle helps to pay for a specific project you can find on the label.

We know there’s still a long way to go, but we’re convinced that, with everyone’s help, we can build a more sustainable future.