SUSTAINABILITY
substance, such as phthalates. This is why we have removed all biocides from our products to reduce risks linked to increasing bacterial resistance, and why we make a point of offering products that are ultra-low in volatile organic compounds.
Manufacture We see reducing carbon emissions from manufacturing as key to a product’s overall impact. Our manufacturing strategies include the following, which can be used as a basis for assessing any production activity: l Optimising energy consumption and developing the use of renewable energy.
l Striving to preserve natural resources wherever possible and implementing closed-circuit water-reuse systems.
l Sourcing renewable, low-carbon raw materials, such as next generation bio- attributed vinyl which uses feedstock derived from renewable biomass instead of fossil resources.
Product durability Durability is an often-overlooked element in CO2
impact assessment. Frequent
replacements clearly create more emissions. Therefore, a sustainable solution is one that lasts over time, whether flooring, wallcoverings, or any other building component. Long life and durability deliver a clear environmental benefit, but CO2
Tarkett iQ floors in the Hospital General de Elda, Alicante, Spain.
footprint. There is, in fact, a double benefit to repairability. First, it avoids unnecessary CO2
emissions from the replacement assessments of purchase
decisions often focus on the initial product alone, and not on its durability and lifespan. Long durability requires a product to be easily repairable. Repairs extend the lifespan of a product. Good operational practice, of repairing to optimise the initial investment, also helps reduce the carbon
process and, second, repair rather than replacement reduces carbon emissions by limiting the production of more coverings. Engineers and architects should look for products that allow for surface restoration and repairs if damage occurs.
Maintenance Proper maintenance, especially the cleaning of surfaces, is vital in a hospital environment. This fact is all the more present in everyone’s mind since the COVID-19 crisis, which highlighted the
importance of rigorous cleaning protocols in preventing the spread of infection. However, the use of cleaning products,
both in volume and composition, can have a significant ecological effect. This also needs to be considered in assessing the sustainability impact of a flooring product over its lifespan. Low-impact maintenance is therefore a
key lever for sustainability. To reduce maintenance-related environmental impact, flooring must be: l Highly cleanable, without requiring specific cleaning protocols of its own, thus reducing the use of detergents.
l Able to withstand the cleaning products required in a healthcare setting, such as disinfectants and hand- sanitisers.
l Bacteriostatic without biocides. End of life
Selecting a flooring product sustainably should also mean planning for its end of life with a view to reuse or recycling. Recycling used materials is one of the
most efficient ways to combat global warming, which is why we facilitate the recycling of our floorings at every stage of their lifecycle, with a waste-collection scheme to recover off-cuts after installation as well as recycling flooring at the end of its life. The ideal is for recycling to be handled
Post-use recycling is a means of reducing a project's carbon footprint. 86
in-house, enabling discarded materials to be reused directly in producing the same products. This can minimise further processing and transport if the material is transformed for some wholly different purpose. This ‘closed-loop’ recycling contributes to a circular economy. We
IFHE DIGEST 2023
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97
