Our environmental commitment
photovoltaic system
By installing two photovoltaic systems with outputs of 20 and 210 kW MPP, GKE produces more electrical energy than required.
low-energy building
The office building was built according to the most modern aspects of insulation technology (20 cm), so that the building only requires 30 W/m3 heating output in winter and can be used without air conditioning in summer. The operational buildings, built in 2015, are equipped with triple-glazed windows and shutters to reduce solar radiation and provide additional insulation in winter.
energy saving through lighting
All light sources were replaced with energy-saving LED lights.
collection of surface water
The surface water collected from the roof surfaces is stored in cisterns and used to flush the buildings' toilets, to cool the sterilizers and to produce demineralized water. This measure reduces fresh water consumption by 80% and reduces the burden on the municipal wastewater system during heavy rain.
unsealed parking areas
The parking areas are not sealed, which means that rainwater can seep into the ground unhindered and does not have to flow away via canals. In this way, the sewage system is also relieved and the groundwater level is not affected. Additional parking spaces were created in the basement and on the roof of the buildings. In the new buildings, there was no parking space outside at all; instead, green areas with bushes and trees were planted.
electric vehicles
GKE has several electric vehicles in its vehicle pool and also finances the purchase of electric cars for employees. GKE has installed 20 charging stations for electric vehicles with a Type 2 plug with a charging capacity of up to 22 kW. These charging stations enable all visitors to arrive in an environmentally friendly electric car and to charge the battery during the visit. The electricity is supplied by the 220 kW solar panels on the roof. Our employees who already use an electric car can also charge solar power with us free of charge.
reducing travel
By plane, public transport or motor vehicle through efficient use of email and video conferencing communication.
solvent-free printing and indicator inks
GKE does not use printing and indicator inks with organic solvents. Instead, water is used in the printing inks and UV-curing oligomers in the GKE indicator inks, which simultaneously seal the indicator substances so that they can no longer come into contact with hands or instruments.
long-lasting test devices
Our sterilization monitoring concept works with long-life test devices (PCDs) that can be used for more than 10,000 cycles, requiring only small indicator strips for each cycle, while historical testing methods require using at least two indicators for each package inside a sterilization load. GKE also replaces single-use paper packages that are used by competitors and must be disposed of after each test with reusable PCDs. This saves end customers larger quantities of indicators that do not have to be disposed of. The GKE PCDs are made of recyclable PVDF.
environmentally friendly packaging material
GKE only uses cardboard packaging material that can be recycled. The indicator strips produced by GKE are also largely made of paper; The use of plastic materials is very low and only necessary in H2O2 processes.
use of highly efficient energy-saving lamps
Only electronically controlled low-energy lamps with the best available light output/consumption ratio are used throughout the company. The new buildings predominantly use high-efficiency LED lamps and suspended LED panel lamps.
paperless office
GKE has introduced paperless filing for order processing and accounting. Incoming faxes and emails are stored electronically and processed directly in the ERP program. This eliminates the need for traditional paper filing. Instead of stationery, electronic files with company data are stored in every workstation computer and company correspondence is primarily handled by email. This also applies to all delivery notes and invoices. On the one hand, these measures drastically reduced paper consumption and thus protected the environment, and on the other hand, they saved a lot of time for our employees. It is also no longer necessary to purchase new storage cabinets.