MAINTENANCE, REFURBISHMENT & REGENERATION
Can a floor coating make a building more sustainable?
A
Sustainability must be far more than just a tick in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) box if we are going to successfully address the climate crisis. Jessica Rothwell, product specialist HPF EMEAI at Sherwin-Williams, looks at how innovative floor coatings are leading the drive towards more environmentally friendly and healthier buildings
lthough most organisations now recognise an obligation to operate as sustainably as possible, putting theory into practice is not always straightforward. Most
traditional high performance protective floor coatings are petroleum or oil based, meaning that they cannot be considered sustainable products. However, the latest resin flooring systems are designed to deliver outstanding performance and utilise natural raw materials to bring a sustainable angle to these products.
Setting the standard
Buildings can reduce their impact on the environment through sustainable design and construction practices. However, developing an effective environmental strategy can be a complex task, as creating a truly green building is only achievable by taking a joined-up approach to its entire infrastructure. Two of the most well-known ratings systems for green buildings are Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). They both set standards and measure the environmental performance of buildings including their construction, infrastructure and operation. Joining LEED and BREEAM are more than 100 other sustainability certification systems such as DGNB, Green Globes, Haute Qualité Environnementale (HQE) and Green Star.
Material gain
Floor coatings are being increasingly scrutinised, with regulatory authorities across the world focusing on how they are used for projects that involve upgrading existing floor finishes. The good news is that the latest protective coatings and flooring finishes can help designers, architects and specifiers achieve sustainability based targets for their projects.
While UK standards require businesses to meet rigorous energy efficiency standards to lower consumption, directives proposed by the European Union (EU) will increase the annual rate at which buildings will be
refurbished to control the level of new construction, contribute to efficient energy performance and set minimum energy performance standards. This means that organisations will require affordable long- term flooring solutions with negligible waste creation and maintenance.
Content provider
As well as contributing to the sustainability based objectives of new building designs, the latest protective coatings and flooring finishes can also make them healthier environments. One of the key performance criteria for flooring materials involves
minimising the level of volatile organic compounds (VOC) they contain. Some leading manufacturers’ floor coatings now feature low or no VOCs and are also free of toxic and carcinogenic ingredients – contributing to better air quality for building occupants. Independently verified laboratories confirm a product’s emissions and this data can then be used to validate compliance to specific building certification schemes. This, in turn, allows a product to contribute towards LEED and BREEAM credits, and ultimately support a clean, breathable environment.
Documentary evidence
One of the primary forms of documentation that can substantiate a product’s sustainability based credentials is an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). EPDs highlight a manufacturer’s commitment to measuring and reducing the environmental impact of its products and services, and reporting these impacts in a transparent way. They play a crucial role in helping companies define their emissions minimum threshold and establish hotspots in project design. EPDs allow the complete impact and performance of a product to be comprehensively evaluated. For example, floor coatings that are independently verified by NSF International, using ISO 21930 and ISO 14025, can count toward the credits needed to obtain sustainability certifications and contribute credits to LEED, BREEAM and other ratings systems.
Facts and figures
The ISO 14025 Type III standard states that an EPD must use quantified product lifecycle information according to predetermined parameters in the form of a lifecycle assessment. Each individual EPD output is the quantity of product needed for the building lifecycle in kilogrammes and the resulting Global Warming Potential (GWP)
12 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER JUNE 2023 Read the latest at:
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