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Small Changes, Big Impact: Three Ways to Make Fit-Outs More Sustainable
Whether you're chasing your own business's net-zero goals or working to meet client-led sustainability targets, one thing is clear: cutting carbon emissions is no longer optional. Sustainability is now at the heart of modern construction and that includes fit-out projects, such as flagship retail stores, premium office spaces and even the smallest corner shops.
Sustainability is no longer a 'nice-to-have', it's an essential.
The good news? You don’t need to start with solar panels or major infrastructure upgrades to make a meaningful difference when it comes to sustainability. In fact, some of the most effective changes come from the everyday products you choose to work with. By switching to more sustainable alternatives, without compromising on speed, budgets or quality, fit-out contractors can drive down carbon emissions and reduce waste across the board.
Here are three practical ways to do just that using Gripple’s suspension systems as a staple in your toolbox:
1. Reduce Onsite Waste
Traditionally, the construction industry has relied on systems, like threaded rod and strut, for suspending retail displays, lighting and electrical containment. But with increasing focus on reducing embodied carbon and material waste, these old-school solutions no longer fit the bill.
Gripple’s lightweight suspension systems are designed for modern fit-outs. They use significantly less raw material, which means less waste from the outset. Even better, they’re fully adjustable without cutting, mess and wasted material. If something’s not quite right, it’s easy to tweak without starting from scratch.
Given the time pressures typical of fit-out projects, this flexibility is a genuine project-saver.
2. Choose Lightweight Alternatives
Switching to lighter products is one of the quickest ways to cut the environmental impact of your next project. Traditional metal components such as rod and strut, are heavy and energy-intensive to manufacture, and costly to transport.
Our suspension systems offer a smarter alternative. They replace bulky metal with lightweight wire rope systems that do the same job using just a fraction of the material, delivering significant embodied carbon savings without compromising strength or safety.
In fact, recent data shows that for every metre of Gwire rope used in place of threaded rod, you could save an estimated 1.2kg of embodied carbon.
The benefits don’t stop at manufacturing. Lightweight materials are easier to handle on site, reducing transport emissions, installation times, and manual handling risks, keeping your project on track and your team safe.
3. Source UK Manufactured Products
Sourcing locally isn’t just a logistical win; it’s a sustainability one too.
Gripple offers a full range of UK manufactured suspension systems for signage, display, HVAC, lighting, electrical containment and more. That means every suspension system needed for your fit-out project can be sourced from a single, local supplier.
Unlike many traditional systems that are unbranded and imported from overseas (often from China), our solutions are designed, engineered and assembled in the UK. This eliminates carbon-heavy global shipping, ensures tighter quality control, and supports ongoing product innovation.
With cutting-edge production facilities at our BREEAM-certified Norfolk Bridge Works in Sheffield, we’re proud to lead the way in low-carbon manufacturing for the fit-out sector.
Sometimes, it’s the smallest details, like choosing the right suspension system, that can make the biggest difference. Explore our product range or click here to book a free project consultation and discover how Gripple can support your next low-carbon fit-out.
Why use Gripple?
- Innovative, patented solutions designed by an in-house team of engineers
- Considerable reductions in packaging, vehicle movements & embodied CO2
- A range of support services at every stage of your project, provided by our technical team
- Complete, off-site solutions which minimise health and safety concerns
- Significant time and cost savings on your project