SUSTAINABILITY
COUNTING THE WAYS
Junckers explains why solid hardwood flooring is a sustainable choice in more ways than one.
There is more to specifying flooring than looks. In the last decade, we have become increasingly aware of how our actions and choices have a direct impact on the environment. Steps to mitigate the climate crisis are being put in place, not least in the construction industry with the focus on net zero carbon status for buildings. It is no longer a far-removed subject from our day-to- day working practices. This issue is not just for designers and architects, governments, and specifiers for landmark projects, it needs to be brought into the conversation for every type of project, from small domestic installations and maintenance projects to large corporate buildings.
There are so many arguments for a sustainable flooring choice. Not only will it benefit the environment, but there are also benefits for the flooring contractor and ultimately the customer or end user.
MADE IN WOOD
Wood is naturally low in embodied carbon, a renewable resource that does not produce waste or pollution. As a tree grows, it absorbs carbon dioxide and stores it in the wood. Through a process known as photosynthesis, a tree captures CO2 from the atmosphere thereby reducing the amount of carbon in our atmosphere, reducing the amount of greenhouse gases, halting global warming while at the same time giving us oxygen. Wood is the only building material that has the natural ability to take carbon from the air and store it. In this way, a solid wood floor has a positive impact on the environment in comparison to other flooring surfaces.
BIOGENIC CARBON – THE NEW REGULATIONS
The reduction in carbon is also referred to biogenic carbon; a process is now widely recognised as a positive element of designing and building. The latest construction framework by the Department for Education, CF 25, outlines that designs for any new and refurbished school buildings should use natural materials to create a healthy learning environment, targeting biogenic carbon of – 20kg CO2e/m2 from sequestration for the whole building. As a reference, installing a Junckers solid beech floor in a typical 690m2 four-court sports hall will contribute a figure of – 18,699kg CO2e or – 27.1kg CO2e/m2.
REUSE AND RECYCLE
Some flooring options may be made in recycled materials but what does that mean in terms of harmful gases and the burden on landfill sites? Ask yourself: can it be recycled again; and what happens to it when it is lifted and disposed of? In stark contrast, a solid wood floor from Junckers contains, you guessed it, nothing but solid wood. It can be sanded and re-finished, lifted and reused as flooring or repurposed as a building material and at the end of its long life, the timber will decompose naturally.
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www.tomorrowscontractfloors.co.uk
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