FEATURE YOUR GUIDE TO MORE SUSTAINABLE PAINT
Making sure that buildings stand the test of time can be supported by the materials used to create and decorate them. In this article, Peter Howard, Sustainability & CSR Lead at Dulux Trade, explains why durable paints can do more than just reduce ongoing costs – they can help improve sustainability too.
Protect surfaces for longer In addition to aesthetics, paints and coatings can also help to improve sustainability. Paints play a crucial role in protecting and maintaining surfaces over a building’s lifetime – however, every time a building is redecorated, it increases the carbon emissions produced. Opting for products that can withstand regular knocks and scuffs will extend the lifespan of a space and reduce the need for redecoration. This reduces emissions, costs and disruption.
Watch out for VOCs As well as durability, it is also important to check a paint’s Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) content. VOCs evaporate into the air at room temperature and, once exposed to sunlight, react with nitrogen oxides already present in the air and contribute to the formation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. While VOC emissions from decorative paints represent a relatively small fraction of the UK's pollutants (1%), they still have a negative environmental impact and affect indoor air quality.
To avoid this, it is recommended to choose water-based products. The water-based innovations available today can provide the same durability, sheen and flow of traditional solvent-based coatings, but with the extra benefits of being lower odour, faster drying and lower in VOCs.
The overall solution There are now durable, water-based paints available on the market. However, it is important to look to those that also contain the minimum VOC content and have been tested to ensure maximum durability, so they can last for years to come.
For example, Dulux Trade Diamond Matt was recently reformulated to deliver durability and improved sustainability credentials. It has been designed for high traffic areas and is compliant with BS EN ISO 11998 Class 1 and BS 7719 Class C and can withstand 10,000 scrubs (the equivalent of five hours non-stop scrubbing). This means it can be repeatedly cleaned and scrubbed to remove unwanted stains without damaging the paint film on the wall. It also contains stain repellent technology that prevents stains from setting in for easier cleaning.
Dulux Trade Diamond Matt is now 99.9% VOC free (based on in-can VOC content and measured in accordance with ISO 11890-2:2013). This means that it has lower impact on indoor air quality and the overall carbon footprint of a project when compared with the previous formulation.
To help create spaces that people will love for years to come, Dulux Trade Diamond Matt is available in 150 additional extra deep colours. To help identify complementary colours, use tools such as the Dulux Trade Colour Schemer or speak to the Dulux Commercial Colour Service team.
Finally, Dulux Trade Diamond Matt has been ‘Tested and Approved by Professional Decorators’, meaning it has undergone assessments by a panel of external professional decorators and had field trials to test it under external conditions.
In conclusion, when selecting paints, it is important to think about durability and VOC content – and how colour can support the space. This will help to cut down on carbon emissions over the building’s lifetime, return spaces to use faster and ensure that surfaces look their best both now and in the future.
www.duluxtrade.co.uk/diamondmatt
58 | TOMORROW’S FM
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