September 14, 2020
The multinational tile company's Green Programme encompasses a number of eco-friendly products and solutions that can be used to design safer and healthier workspaces.
The summer holidays are coming to an end and it's time to get back to the office - with maximum health and safety measures in place. This year returning to work is different, given the need to come up with new working and socialising arrangements due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with social distancing (1.5 metres in Spain), mask wearing, and cleaning and disinfecting shared areas all coming into play.
In this context, the challenge faced by companies and places of work is two-fold: Adapt to new health regulations and protect workers by rethinking the design and purpose of every area, with more sustainable and hygienic, healthier spaces.
PORCELANOSA Group's Eco Conscious programme tackles these issues, offering eco-friendly products and technical solutions developed by the tile multinational to promote the circular economy: sustainable water management, responsible energy consumption and greener urban planning.
Staggered entrance times, compulsory mask wearing, fewer people per square metre, sanitising furniture and common areas, and social distancing. These are just some of the measures that will be implemented in offices in light of the current health crisis.
This means redesigning workspaces, and PORCELANOSA Group has a range of hard-wearing and sustainable materials that comply with new health and safety requirements and improve the working environment. Here are some of them.
Ceramic floor and wall tiles from PORCELANOSA Group are characterised by realistic and sustainable designs drawing from natural textures and finishes. Examples are Forest, Smart Tanzania, Smart Minnesota, Smart Nebraska and Smart Vancouver ceramic wood flooring from PAR-KER™, which are composed of 95% recycled material and produce up to 40% less CO2 emissions in their manufacture.
This ceramic wood combines the technical properties of ceramic tiles (resistance, easy cleaning and maintenance) whilst helping to reduce the material's carbon footprint, as demonstrated by the PORCELANOSA Group Eco Conscious programme.
The firm Butech has developed the right solutions for installing Porcelanosa flooring: a technical flooring system specifically for offices, which hides technical installations and makes it easier to change the layout of working areas in line with social distancing guidelines. It's also simple to change tiles, and the pieces can be combined with various structures and floors without losing their unique qualities.
Linkfloor vinyl by L'Antic Colonial is another material that's ideal for creating safe and soundproof offices. Linkfloor is versatile, comfortable, hard-wearing and high quality, and can be used as both wall cladding (Contract and Wall Contract) and flooring (Roll Contract, Empire and Hotel Air). Every one of the 17 collections is highly resistant to abrasion, humidity and chemical agents.
With Krion™ Solid Surface offices and workspaces can be kept cleaner and more hygienic from top to bottom, thanks to the mineral compact's zero porosity, antibacterial and lightweight nature and resistance to wear and tear and impact.
The solid surface is inert, causing no damage to the environment. The material is certified by REACH, confirming it's free from substances that are dangerous or toxic for humans, and that it's BPA free. It also doesn't produce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, helping to maintain optimal air quality in the places where it's installed (GREENGUARD GOLD certified).
Available in an extensive range of colours, it can be used for customised designs of furnishings or other office elements: different sheets, colours and shapes can be curved and joined together.
Noken, a PORCELANOSA Group bathroom firm, has launched a series of contactless solutions for offices to help them reduce energy and water waste whilst simultaneously making spaces more hygienic.
Using Touchless technology, Noken has designed taps and toilet and urinal flushing systems that are activated by proximity sensors, leading to water savings of up to 60% every time they're used (WaterForest range)
Other solutions the firm has developed for working spaces in a bid to combat Covid-19 are hand sanitising gel dispensers in a vertical, totem style design. These systems can be integrated into the overall structure of any office, without disrupting other office units, and can be customised with company logos. In terms of hand hygiene, Noken has perfected the soap dispenser: its Tono, Lounge and Forma ranges are available in chrome, copper, titanium or gold finishes, giving this simple object a refined image and improved usability.
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