Sustainability at EQUITONE

At EQUITONE, sustainability is more than a checkbox —it’s central to how we do business. As part of the Etex Group, a global building materials company with a diverse family of brands, we share in a companywide Road to Sustainability 2030 commitment and the six priority areas with specific science-based targets. Etex’s initiatives span multiple product lines and industries, and at EQUITONE we translate these goals into the way we design, manufacture, and deliver our fiber cement façade materials.

With over a century of material innovation behind us, we’re rethinking how facades are made, used, and reused. We know architecture must lighten its footprint on people and the planet, so our mission is clear: reduce emissions, eliminate waste, design for circularity, and empower architects to build with purpose.

While our hi-strength cement rainscreen panels are thin yet strong, material efficiency is only part of the story. Advancing light-impact construction means looking at the full lifecycle—from sourcing and manufacturing to transport, installation, maintenance, and eventual disassembly. By focusing on efficiency at every stage, we aim to help reduce overall project emissions, cut waste, and preserve resources, creating façades that perform for decades while keeping their environmental footprint as small as possible.

Being sustainable is not something we can achieve alone. That's why partnership and transparency are core to our approach. EQUITONE collaborates with suppliers on innovative raw materials (such as low-impact cement and industrial waste reuse) and works with architects, engineers and sustainability experts to explore solutions such as developing take-back systems for end-of-life panels in Europe and aligning with green building certification standards.

We hold ourselves accountable by publicly reporting our environmental impacts and obtaining independent certification. Nearly all EQUITONE fiber cement panels are Cradle to Cradle Certified® at the bronze level, and all come with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) documenting their life-cycle impacts. Our parent company, Etex, publishes an Annual Report that outlines sustainability goals alongside our progress towards achieving them —providing transparent updates on key targets like emissions reduction, waste minimization, and circular design initiatives. By embracing these frameworks and openly sharing both achievements and areas for improvement, we aim to avoid greenwashing and earn genuine trust.

Download our EPDs, LEED Documentation & certifications  

Sustainability at EQUITONE also means delivering materials that help lighten the load for builders and the environment. Our  panels are engineered for material efficiency – thin yet strong, using less raw material per square foot than many cladding alternatives while still delivering exceptional durability.

The omposition includes cement, mineral fillers such as sand, cellulose fibers, and water.These attributes help reduce environmental impact through the full life cycle:

• 50+ year lifespan for long-term performance
• Minimal maintenance requirements
• Lightweight panels that lower transport emissions
• Noncombustible* and free from banned chemicals under Cradle to Cradle standards
• Panels can be individually removed, replaced, or reused during renovations

While full closed-loop recycling for fiber cement is still in development, the material naturally reabsorbs CO₂ over time – offering a modest carbon sink effect.

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