FLOORING
Use what’s underfoot to reduce wastage and costs
Rohit Sharma, Resilient Sales manager at Bona – a family-owned company that provides ‘sustainable, high-performance products and systems for resilient flooring in healthcare settings worldwide’, discusses some of the advantages of floor refurbishment over replacement with new flooring in a hospital or other healthcare facility. These, he explains, include less disruption to clinical activity, and ‘a more cost-effective and sustainable solution’.
When the term ‘renovation’ is used in healthcare, the first thought is often of buildings and estates, and the modernisation of existing facilities to reflect the ever-expanding needs of, and demands placed upon, 21st century healthcare spaces. The attributes of renovation over replacement are fully appreciated – from the reduction in costs and wastage, to the reduced impact on the environment. In contrast, however, when attention is turned to improving and enhancing what lies underfoot, replacement flooring has routinely been pegged as the singular route to create a brand new look, and the only way to acquire a better product, while its counterpart – renovation – has somewhat been side-stepped. Today, however, renovation of flooring
delivers greater benefits than a simple like- for-like replacement, and is increasingly being garnered as a popular choice across the sector as a way to successfully obtain a brand new look and a better product, while also being a more environmentally sustainable choice.
Evolving trends Key flooring trends in the healthcare market indicate the need for product innovation in terms of more effective cleaning and maintenance, more environmentally friendly and sustainable products, plus a greater use of resilient flooring, which includes PVC/vinyl, linoleum, and rubber – effectively flooring that is firm and flexible. These emerging flooring trends are gradually becoming recognised, and the healthcare sector has seen improvements in most areas. Modern flooring has become more abrasion- resistant and durable, more slip-resistant, easier to clean with fewer odours, and has the ability to handle liquids better. The increased quality and longer service life of some flooring also translate to a more cost-effective product. There is also an overall trend to use less harmful, less toxic materials, with a
Centennial Hills Hospital in Las Vegas decided upon a faster, more sustainable floor renovation system from Bona. Rather than taking 72 hours to replace the floor, the process took five hours of labour, amounting to a saving of 75%.
February 2023 Health Estate Journal 67
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