BUILDINGS, MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT


Don’t become a victim of greenwashing - question the familiar


I


t is hard to accept that something trusted and familiar is damaging the environment. We are


all keen to reduce our reliance on products derived from crude oil because of its effect upon global warming. In schools all over the UK there will be thousands of square metres of synthetic plastic flooring that is derived from oil, that cannot be recycled. At some point it will probably go to landfill. These floors mainly come from global


Comment by Richard Aylen Technical Manager, Junckers Ltd


manufacturers, and many are struggling to make short-term reductions to their carbon footprint. Instead, they use their marketing expertise to create an environmental image that masks the modesty of their achievements. This is known as greenwashing, and this becomes a powerful mechanism if we show a collective reluctance to question what they are doing and the choices we make. Many manufacturers of oil-derived products cannot


easily find alternatives for environmentally damaging raw materials. Crude oil is a source of “new” carbon which when released into the atmosphere increases global warming. PVC, the main component in vinyl floors has long been a concern because of the effects of plasticisers on human health, and because it cannot easily be disposed of. Its effect on global warming is a newer concern but no less important. The purpose of greenwashing is to divert your


attention from this. To do this companies may give you a detailed


general lesson about global warming and the climate crisis to convince you of their expertise. They give you the impression that they “own” the environmental argument and are leading the discussion.


Deanestor fits out award-winning educational campus in Scotland


T


he creation of a vibrant new


educational and community campus in Ayr has won an award commendation at the Scottish Design Awards. The listed building was fitted out by Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading school furniture specialists. Ayr Grammar and Archive Centre accommodates a primary school, early


years centre, community arts centre, and is the new home for Ayrshire Archives and Registry which houses repositories for historical records and the Ayrshire fine art collection. The £16m riverside project for South Ayrshire Council was delivered by


hub South West Scotland, and main contractor Morrison Construction. The architects were BDP. Deanestor designed, manufactured and installed a range of furniture


solutions for the primary school and early years centre including benching, storage units, adjustable shelving, shoebox units, cloakroom benches, as well as loose furniture such as seating and tables. Deanestor also provided bespoke metal and wood shelving, solid surface worktops, and storage cabinets for the adjacent archive centre and registry. All the furniture reflects the neutral colour palette for the scheme’s


interior, using light grey and wood-effect finishes. This would allow colours to be expressed in children’s artwork.


For further information, visituwww.deanestor.co.uk/education, call u01623 420041 or emailuenquiries@deanestor.com


34 www.education-today.co.uk November 2021 They create numerous strongly branded schemes


and initiatives which give the impression that they are actively reducing global warming, but they are simply telling you what is possible, viable, conceivable and what their goals and ambitions are. They use over- long timeframes and create mythologies around their founder or other company personalities. One environmental report tells us they sent their designers “into nature” to design floors using natural colours and textures. Another “environmental improvement” was a fountain created at the factory for staff to enjoy, that used recycled water from the factory. Neither of these will reduce global warming. Their claims do at least appear to be factual and


there are some tangible achievements too. One manufacturer had switched to renewable energy and used “carbon offsetting” to mitigate the global warming created by their products. Offsetting allows companies to continue their polluting activities but mitigate it by planting trees or a similar measure. This may work as a short-term strategy but cannot be considered sustainable in the long term. In fact, trees only sequester carbon from the air after about 30 years of growth, and the Royal Institution of British Architects instructs its members not to accept carbon offsetting when designing buildings. In my view companies who try to attract customers


by talking about things other than the key issues are probably not doing themselves, clients, or the environment any favours. As consumers we need to adopt a healthy scepticism, look behind the glitzy messages and keep in mind what we are really trying to achieve…which is reducing carbon in building products to assist the construction industry in meeting net zero goals.


£2.2m extension completes at Cheshire high school


W


ork on a new £2.2m, two-storey extension block at Blacon High School in Cheshire has


now completed, expanding the school’s existing facilities to better serve its students. The new space contains six classrooms to the first floor, with the ground floor housing special education needs (SEN) and dining and welfare spaces. Leading independent property, construction, and


infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard provided cost management services throughout RIBA Stages 2 to 7 for the scheme, working closely alongside the contractor and lead designer Pave-Aways Limited. Fostering a close collaboration with the local planning authority and the


project team, Pick Everard advised on key areas of the process to keep the scheme and its scope within the client’s budget, including the sustainability elements, planning requirements and delivery methods. Upon completion, the new extension has achieved BREEAM Very Good


accreditation, with the building also being operationally carbon neutral. For more information, please visituwww.pickeverard.co.uk


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