BUILDINGS, MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT
Moving towards net zero carbon schools T
he welcome news that schools across England are set for a transformative ten-year
construction programme under new plans set out by the Government has provided a much-needed boost to the sector. The first major school rebuilding programme to be launched since 2014 will start in 2020-21 with the first 50 projects receiving over £1 billion in funding. Projects for the first phase will be confirmed this autumn with construction set to begin from September next year. A major change since the initial school building
programme was released is a new procurement process focused on carbon reduction. The Department for Education has announced its aim to build net zero carbon schools and informed its framework of contractors to submit tenders accordingly. Working towards a net zero carbon future, every part and every detail of a project count. Every material specified needs to meet crucial criteria – Is it sustainable? Is it reusable? Is it recyclable? How long will it last? How is it produced? How can in contribute to a better cared for environment? Universally known for its high environmental
credentials, wood is a material that scores highly on all aforementioned criteria. Every Junckers floor is made of strong, durable solid hardwood, there are no layers of inferior quality; no glue or harmful chemical substances which can adversely affect the air in a room. Crucially, there is no reliance on fossil fuel derived materials, as with other sports flooring surfaces. Vinyl (PVC) sports flooring, once commonly used in schools, is an oil-based product. Oil is a non-sustainable resource and therefore does not fit in with the current drive to safeguard our environment for the future. Old vinyl floors cannot be reused or recycled and most of the waste is taken to landfill sites. As vinyl flooring is not biodegradable, it sits
in landfill for generations and is hazardous and costly. In contrast, an environmentally sound, fully
recyclable option, albeit after a much longer lifespan than any other sports flooring surface, is a solid hardwood floor from Junckers. Junckers timber comes from legal and sustainably managed sources, and the company has internationally known FSC® and PEFCTM accreditations as well as EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) for all its flooring. Junckers floors have A+ rating in the BRE Green Guide. Timber is a natural carbon-neutral material,
storing carbon during its life then releasing it at the end. Junckers does not intensively reprocess the wood by multi-layering or using large amounts of energy, glue and resins. Wood waste is used to power the entire factory site, but this produces more electricity than the company needs. The surplus is sold to the local grid making Junckers a carbon neutral company. Junckers’ solid wood floors retain their strength
exceptionally well throughout their lives. Independent testing shows that a Junckers sports floor, after two sandings, has more strength than a “equivalent” engineered floor that has never been sanded. Unlike an engineered board, a solid wood floorboard has no core structure to break down, and the central dovetail in a Junckers board can be sanded without loss of strength. A Junckers solid hardwood floor may be sanded between eight and ten times during its life. Life spans in excess of 60 years are easily achievable, which means lower demands upon natural materials and a long time span between installation and when the floor needs to be recycled. Solid hardwood boards can be reclaimed if they
have useful life remaining. Floating or nailed floors are eminently re-useable and when sanded
40
www.education-today.co.uk September 2020
and sealed can look like a brand new floor. If need be, solid wood waste is easily recycled and is usually uncontaminated. The combination of performance, longevity,
low lifecycle costs and ease of maintenance of a Junckers wood floor is often the deciding point for schools and further education colleges. The exceptional durability means it can be used for so much more than sports and activities. In current times, your sports hall may have to double up as a teaching space or dining area, the floor will easily stand up to the change in use and does not need to be covered or protected in any way. A Junckers sports floor is strong enough to accept tired seating, making it suitable for performances and tournaments – the floor could earn its keep during out-of-school hours. Now, with the focus on achieving net zero carbon schools, choosing a Junckers floor with full environmental credentials means your investment helps future- proof your school.
Junckers uUnit A, 1 Wheaton Road, Witham, Essex CM8 3UJ
u01376 534 700
usales@junckers.co.uk uwww.junckers.co.uk u@junckersfloors
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
