NATURAL STONE


THE SUSTAINABLE STONE AGE


Diespeker & Co.‘s Managing Director, John Krause, looks at recent developments in sustainability and explains what his company is doing to make a difference.


As a company, Diespeker is committed to researching areas of the business to see where sustainable and environmental initiatives can be implemented. This includes material sourcing, manufacturing processes and ensuring durability through care, maintenance and recycling.


Our core business is natural stone and terrazzo- materials that have survived intact in many ancient locations around the world. Indeed, marble work carried out by Diespeker from as early as the 1890s is very much in evidence at the National Portrait Gallery, and Diespeker’s terrazzo flooring installed in the 1930s, and beyond, is still in use in hospitals, county offices and universities across the UK. During a recent project at the London Coliseum whilst our team was installing marble flooring, they spotted a ceiling mosaic with the ornamental mosaic pattern of a certain style – and the Diespeker signature. This would have been created in the early 1900s.


Natural stone


During recent years, the natural stone industry has been making major improvements to develop the conservation of resources, minimal waste and better waste management, as well as looking at ways to lessen the impact of the industry on pollution. Marble and granite quarrying relies on heavy plants but progress is being made with more efficient machinery and water recycling. Once in situ, natural stone is simple enough to maintain but needs regular cleaning to preserve the appearance and durability, as well as sealing to ensure water resistance.


Terrazzo


Terrazzo production historically has credible ‘green’ credentials. Over


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500 years ago, quarry workers in Italy took to using cast-off sections of marble mixed into cement to make the flooring for their own dwellings – recycling rather than throwing away unwanted natural stone. And now it’s not just marble and granite fragments, but other waste materials that can be added to a terrazzo mix, for example, glass chippings from glass recycling. Terrazzo can be prone to cracking and crazing but, with high production levels and the correct maintenance, the material can last a lifetime.


Repairs and restoration


Rather than replace a damaged surface, Diespeker uses expertise in the repair and restoration of the materials so they can be restored to their former glory. More recently, our experienced team has been working to renovate existing natural stone or terrazzo installations that attract high footfall, including station concourses or original terrazzo cantilevered stairwells uncovered and restored from beneath layers of wood, carpet and screed.


At the London Coliseum, we contributed to refurbishment works with repairs to terrazzo on the external steps. Such repair projects call on our skill to match any design or style of terrazzo, using traditional methods in our own factory to give a seamless result. Even when given just a tiny section of existing terrazzo to work to, our team produces a perfect match, with a fast turnaround in creating samples.


Recycling


In a similar way to those Roman quarry workers, in the past few years Diespeker has been using marble and granite imaginatively to use unwanted materials left over


from natural stone flooring, cladding and counter top projects. Products to date include furniture, made in collaboration with London designers, giving rise to opulent, practical and totally unique pieces.


In the factory


The production processes in Diespeker’s London factory are continually assessed to see where improvements in efficiency and sustainability can be made.


One key response was the 2016 installation of a water recycling plant to recycle water used in the factory process. This £30,000 investment is part of Diespeker’s drive towards improving our environmental credentials on our own premises. The company also invested in cutting machinery using water jets, to reduce the amount of dust created within the factory.


Transportation is another consideration. As much of our work is in important and prestigious locations in the London area, this means that materials don’t have to travel far to reach their final destination. Where we do have to transport materials further, we ensure this is carried out in the most efficient way to cut down on the number of journeys.


Although it is certainly a challenge to readily prove green credentials in the marble sector, Diespeker always enjoys taking on a challenge!


www.diespeker.co.uk www.tomorrowstileandstone.co.uk


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