With a people-centric approach to sustainability, the UK’s market leader in vinyl flooring Karndean Designflooring is building commercial interiors that have a reduced impact on the environment whilst also delivering outstanding style, durability and performance.
Working with RFD Interior Architecture, its latest project has created an attractive biophilic design for Groupe Atlantic’s Expert Training Academy in East Yorkshire that combines sustainable performance with thermal and acoustic comfort.
Groupe Atlantic’s mission is to help society rise to the challenge of reducing energy consumption and increasing the use of renewable energy whilst still satisfying the demand for thermal comfort. Its new Expert Training Academy has been established to further these goals, training the heating and hot water industry in the next generation of renewable energy sourced appliances. With the business’ clear focus on sustainable development, it was key that the academy’s interior should itself have minimal impact.
Project designer and principal contractor RFD Interior Architecture has reflected Groupe Atlantic’s ambition to create a greener built environment with a comfortable yet practical interior in a biophilic style that supports health and wellbeing, meeting its sustainability brief with a focus on decarbonisation and recycled materials.
A terrazzo design floor from Karndean Designflooring sits alongside a natural moss wall and FSC certified oak cladding with recycled plastic acoustic backing. The furniture and accessories were also chosen for their superb eco credentials, including ultra-low carbon furniture made with recycled upholstery materials.
Jamie Shaw, head of ESG at Karndean Designflooring, said: “The Groupe Atlantic project amply demonstrates how our flooring can balance on-trend biophilic aesthetics with practicality and sustainability.
“Like all our designs, our new Opus Abstracts capsule collection replicates the beauty of natural materials using cutting edge technology to provide a hard wearing flooring that also improves indoor environmental quality and reduces a project’s impact over its entire lifecycle.
“The durability of Karndean flooring is key to product longevity and in commercial environments this can result in a carbon footprint that is up to 85% lower than other flooring products. These sustainability credentials were a key decision point for RFD Interior Architecture when specifying for Groupe Atlantic’s academy.”
Dalmata from Karndean’s Opus abstracts capsule collection has provided a statement floor that can stand up to the academy’s heavy footfall yet is easy to maintain. Featuring large black marble chips that stand out against a simple white background in a striking ‘dalmatian’ effect, the flooring brings an impactful neoclassical look to the clean lines of the interior. Introducing additional visual interest and comfort underfoot, breakout zones have been highlighted with thick pile rugs.
Alex Jenneson, design director at RFD Interior Architecture, explained: “From a design aesthetic, the newly launched Karndean terrazzo was a great looking product for our story. This design statement of monochrome maximalism stands out perfectly as a confident stone effect feature juxtaposed against the neat, uniform oak panels and earthy fabric colour tones. Natural materials, controllable low carbon lighting, biophilic elements and the clean yet playful interior design speak volumes about how workplaces can look and operate in the market today.”
The Opus abstracts capsule collection presents a range of bold contemporary designs and offers designers complete creative freedom of expression with endless options to create intriguing and impactful bespoke floors. Suitable for installation alongside other Opus wood plank and stone tile designs, these new abstract designs have expanded the boundaries of design and opened up new opportunities for personalised interiors.
Karndean products are manufactured in factories certified to the ISO 14001 Environmental Management and ISO 9001 Quality Management International Standards and meet LEED Credit 4.3 and CAL 01350 standards. Using production and operating processes that are increasingly energy efficient and making use of renewable energy sources, Karndean flooring provides a resilient, comfortable and attractive flooring that is the ideal choice to meet the sustainability challenges of the future.
For more information on Karndean’s Opus Abstracts capsule collection, visit www.karndean.com.
About Karndean Designflooring
Our design process begins with a meeting…with nature. We see flooring differently. Pushing the boundaries has to be an adventure of discovery. It’s why we travel the world for inspiration. From the ancient European woodlands to the Australian outback, we pack our bags and go there. Every time, we connect with something extraordinary that shapes our every step. It’s how we bring the unimaginable, inspired from the outdoors, indoors.
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Leeds-based surface material supplier, CDUK, announces that PaperStone® - the award-winning innovative material made from FSC-certified paper and cardboard combined with a natural resin - has been awarded with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certificate.
The certificate follows the FSC-certified supplier’s ongoing commitment to help the design community to make informed decisions when specifying surface materials, ensuring that all designs are built to last and with as little impact as possible on the planet and consumers’ health and wellbeing.
Achieving an EPD certificate for PaperStone® allows CDUK to provide transparent data about the environmental sustainability of the innovative material and to support architects and designers to get their projects recognised by building assessment schemes including BREEAM, LEED and WELL Building Standard®.
The EPD certificate is just the latest achievement for PaperStone®, which is made from FSC-certified paper and cardboard combined with a petroleum free and VOC-free phenolic resin (PetroFree™), as well as being NSF certified and meeting Euroclass C-s1,d0 Reaction to Fire Classification.
The certificate covers popular colours Charcoal, Graphite, Gunmetal, Pewter, Sand and Slate, and is expected to be extended to the whole range later this year.
This achievement further demonstrates the environmental impact of PaperStone®, following a series of recognitions from industry awards, including Mixology Awards, SBID International Design Awards and Designer Awards.
Vicki Richmond, Marketing Director of CDUK, said:
“A key focus for CDUK is to provide the architecture and design community with all the necessary tools to create outstanding designs that are built to last and to be kind to both our planet and human wellbeing. PaperStone® perfectly encapsulates aesthetics, functionality and sustainability and achieving an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certificate is a testament to the first-class credentials of the new generation material”.
About CDUK
CDUK is a supplier of surface materials and complementary products to the specification market in the UK and Ireland, including architects, interiors designers, kitchen designers, fabricators and contractors. Having built a strong reputation as the exclusive distributor of Corian® Solid Surface in the UK and Ireland, CDUK now offers an extended range of services as well as products from a number of leading brands.
RAK Ceramics PJSC (Ticker: RAKCEC: Abu Dhabi), one of the leading ceramics brands in the world, announced today a USD 14 million investment in its sanitaryware production line in the UAE, upgrading the facility with the latest cutting-edge technology kilns and elevating sustainably the company’s sanitaryware operating model.
RAK Ceramics aims to begin installation of the new machinery in 2023, with the aim of going online in the first half of 2024. The investment will allow the sanitaryware line to incorporate latest technology into the heat exchanger system of kilns, with the capability for future conversion to hydrogen fuel and waste heat recycling given advanced features. Once operational, the Company will be able to maximize and optimize efficiency during production, enabling the realization of significant savings in both energy consumption and carbon emissions. Additionally, the process allows for an enhanced yield during production, reducing as such waste and increasing capacity utilization.
Commenting on the investment, Abdallah Massaad, Group CEO, RAK Ceramics said:
“As a responsible manufacturer and as the fourth largest ceramics player in the world, we have an important role to play on the global stage to make the industry more sustainable. This investment and the launch of this project in our sanitaryware business truly anchors our commitment to sustainability and our drive to long-term value for our stakeholders.”
“For this year, we aim to stimulate sustainability further through our functions and businesses, as we established a clear commitment to prioritize and support sustainable investments, and we are currently working alongside experts in the field to help us in our sustainability journey.”
Over the years, RAK Ceramics' emphasis on sustainable production has expanded as the demand for distinctive and sustainable ceramic items develops and as the Company continues to reap the benefits of sustainable long-term investments on the environmental front, especially in terms of energy conservation and waste management.
The Company has outlined in its 2023 Priorities that it is working on defining and implementing a sustainability strategy for the short-to-medium term, incorporating further ESG practices and initiatives and adopting it across all its operations.
About RAK Ceramics
RAK Ceramics is one of the largest ceramics’ brands in the world. Specialising in ceramic and grès porcelain wall and floor tiles, tableware, sanitaryware and faucets, the company has the capacity to produce 123 million square metres of tiles, 5 million pieces of sanitaryware, 24 million pieces of porcelain tableware and 1 million pieces of faucets per year at its 22 state-of-the-art plants across the United Arab Emirates, India and Bangladesh.
Patrick Norguet is an essential figure on the international design scene. Drawing inspiration from everything that surrounds him, Norguet does not follow trends but seeks to give shape to products whose relevance and modernity would withstand the test of time.
Zetta Scope Interiors designed a new office for Rontec. In a 10,800 sqft space the team aimed to create an environment that enhances both the client experience and the office atmosphere.
The team carefully chose furniture and finishes, using bespoke features that were designed to maximize space usage and design input, and placing them in the reception, boardroom, and offices. In order to reduce carbon footprint and minimize the project's impact on the environment the designers repurposed the existing furniture, and new pieces were ordered from companies committed to the cause. More than 50% of the existing furniture was repurposed and reused for the new office, while the rest was sent to the charities to be repurposed for a second life.
A careful selection of finishes was chosen to utilise those that are designed with recycling and afterlife in mind. Some of the finishes include: FENIX - a durable material that has obtained various certifications related to interior design applications; Quartz - inherently eco-friendly since the natural quartz material that composes much of it comes directly from the earth; Tarkett carpet tiles - a global leader in sustainability.
About Zetta Scope Interiors
At Zetta Scope, we design places that inspire people and work for our clients over the long term because they balance the needs of the business, occupants and environment. Conceiving a successful interior design is a collaboration. For some clients, that means developing a design brief from scratch. In all cases, we work closely with you and your team. Our concept designs will be informed by an evaluation of the building, how your people work now, what you need to change and retain, and your corporate brand, values and ethos.
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EDGE, a hub for sustainable design and building materials has launched its online marketplace for sustainable construction and interior brands.
EDGE, an acronym for Eco Design Green Environment, has been hard at work building a new marketplace that will allow you to buy directly from planet-friendly construction and interior brands with the highest standards in waste-minimisation, energy efficiency, sustainable product manufacturing and materials sourcing, whilst also setting industry standards for design and aesthetics.
The marketplace can be used by specifiers for their projects as well as members of the general public and DIY ers’ wanting to design or build a more environmentally friendly building or space.
Due to the demand of eco-friendly materials in the building and interior sector, EDGE launched the marketplace to guide traffic of sustainable shoppers for home projects or large-scale construction builds to one destination where they can browse multiple brands across a variety of categories.
It accompanies EDGE showroom in Marylebone where most items can be seen, felt and tested before buying online.
To find out more, please visit www.edgelondon.eco
About EDGE
EDGE is London’s first interior design and construction showroom dedicated to sustainable products and materials. Working with some of the most sustainable and innovative brands in Europe we also curate an online shop where architects, interior designers, specifiers, construction professionals and DIYers can purchase products from these brands in order to make homes, offices and commercial spaces more sustainable.
KI has confirmed that Postura+ will begin a transition to a circular economy, with all one-piece chairs manufactured from December 2022 set to contain at least 30% recycled polypropylene.
Following over 3 years of trials and testing, this achievement sets an important milestone on KI’s journey towards taking a leading position in the circular economy. Over the coming years, KI will work towards increasing this percentage to future milestones 50, 80 and ultimately 100%, bringing all standard colours into line with the increasingly popular Jet Black chairs which are already made with 100% recycled content.
The unique, UK-based supply chain development will see 600 tonnes per year of waste plastic being fed into the standard production process, the equivalent of over 2,000,000 food containers per annum. These new mixed virgin/recycled polypropylene chairs have been rigorously tested and have achieved the same certifications and standards as the fully virgin plastic chairs, so the unparalleled, proven Postura+ 20-year warranty remains in place.
Jonathan Hindle, President, KI EMEA comments: “We manufacture approximately 400,000 one-piece Postura+ chairs alone each year, making it one of our most successful and high-volume product lines. Eliminating 600 tonnes of virgin polypropylene from this supply chain demonstrates our commitment to realistic, impactful steps towards sustainable practices, without compromising colour options, quality, durability and warranties.”
Jeremy McWhinney, KI’s Finance & Operations Director adds: “Whilst other products in our lives have been able to utilise recycled polypropylene for years, they are routinely single or limited use items – Postura+ chairs must withstand the toughest learning environments for decades. The testing and production processes involved have been years in the making, and we look forward to continuing our journey towards our ambition of 100% recycled content in the future.”
This innovation in Postura+ chair production further enhances the product’s environmental performance, outlined in its independently verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Manufactured in the UK, these chairs are transported in 100% recyclable packaging, and are themselves 100% recyclable at their end of life.
Alison Mallett, KI Europe’s Director of Education Furniture comments: “Our customers both in the UK and across Continental Europe are looking for ways to reduce the environmental impact of their procurement practices, without adding unrealistic cost or compromising quality. What we’ve managed to achieve with Postura+ chairs is a fantastic step in the right direction and we are confident that this exciting news will be met with great enthusiasm from our customers.”
About KI
KI’s furniture helps the world’s leading organisations create happy, healthy, high performing working and learning environments. Bringing together good design, advanced engineering and sustainable resources, KI’s products are durable, flexible and offer excellent value.
As biophilic design grows in popularity (no pun intended!) so does the number of interior projects where clients request a green ‘infusion’ in their refurbished homes.
Biophilia, or the love of nature, provides a connection to the natural world and instils a sense of wellbeing through the creation of a healthy environment. The air quality in a city dwelling is said to improve, through the air-purifying potential of plants, with certain varieties able to remove many pollutants. No small feat, considering indoor air quality is often inferior to outdoor, with residents breathing in all sorts of undesirable pollution.
The Royal Horticultural Society also reports that the potential psychological and physical benefits of indoor plants include improved mood, reduced stress, better productivity, longer attention span, quicker reaction times on computer tasks, lower blood pressure and a significant reduction in fatigue and headaches. Undoubtedly, this need for repeated and sustained connectivity to nature and its positive impact on people in general, is becoming increasingly important in our busy, urban lives.
The brief then, for this penthouse perched on the River Thames, was to incorporate a biophilic aspect into the space in order to make it a restorative refuge. Other than the views, it was originally an uninspired space and the two large terraces empty and unused. With cohesive vision and contemporary furnishings, it was transformed both inside and out into an attractive and harmonious home. The copious amounts of greenery that were added, including a living wall, together make the space incredibly calm and congenial. The residence now ticks all the boxes with close proximity to work in the Wharf, whilst infusing a sense of spaciousness and serenity. Who wouldn’t want to relax and rejuvenate on a lounger surrounded by vegetation gently rustling in the breeze?
As a biophilic design studio, Oudejans Interiors feels it’s vital to live more sustainably and regularly draws upon the proven benefits of nature as a key design element to create exquisite and enduring residences.
About Oudejans Interiors
Oudejans Interiors, a leading biophilic design studio, draws upon nature, with its many proven benefits, to create beautiful, enduring spaces that engender wellbeing. Our ethos is to live sustainably, increasingly connected to the natural world. When designing interiors, we instil this organic connection to enhance clients’ lifestyles.
The Sustainable Design Summit (SDS) brings together brand owners, designers, and trusted suppliers from across cruise, hotel, and aircraft interiors to cross-pollinate ideas alongside leading sustainability experts.
Taking place on 29 November 2022 at The Brewery London, SDS is the first event of its kind to unite these three sectors to discuss sustainability as it dominates conversations and market drivers.
In just one day, delegates will gain actionable insights from the panels of experienced practitioners, discover a showcase of intrinsically green products, and come away with a framework for tangible steps to take into their next interior design project.
Sustainable Design Summit tackles the biggest challenges of designing sustainably head on; their crucial plenary Pitching to Stakeholders: How to Hold a Conversation About Sustainability unites the decision makers of all three sectors, including Bryan Liska, Director of Design Caribbean & Latin America Hilton Hotels, Thomas Westergaard, Consultant at Hurtigruten Expeditions sand Tasha Jackson, Sustainability Boeing.
Chatham House Rules will be in place for sector specific breakout sessions, where each sector can frankly and openly discuss the unique challenges of designing sustainably for that sector, the niche governance informing sustainability progress in that sector and what the delegates as brand owners require from certification societies and the supply chain. View the full Agenda here.
The onsite product showcase will be displaying the most forward-thinking sustainable products across the aviation, cruise, and hotel interiors industries. The products were selected with a keen eye on energy efficiency, weight saving, re-cycling and reusing, and reducing carbon footprint. Thought-provoking products include lighting company Cristallux and their zero waste, 100% recyclable alternative material Alamar and Continental’s breathable upholstery material, including the VyP Coffee range created using spent coffee grounds. Aviation specialists Anker will be showcasing their AIRlight ECO surface material made with 100% recycled yarn while Volume Creative will give a glimpse into Spared, a creative service that turns waste destined for landfill into beautiful objects.
Ahead of Sustainable Design Summit, speakers revealed what they were most interested in learning and sharing with the delegates. Alan Stewart, Company Director at SMC Design highlighted his desire for sustainability guidance from classification societies and collaboration with IMO, ‘In order to be truly sustainable, we need to have some type of guidelines in place. There needs to be some sort of classification to allow us to understand just how sustainable products and materials are before we design with them. We'd also like to welcome working with classification societies and receive guidance from them on sustainability.’
Meanwhile Thomas Westergaard, Consultant, Hurtigruten Cruises expressed interest in hearing from how other brands were including sustainability in their value propositions. He wanted to see how ‘important is it for companies to attract not only tomorrow's travellers, but today's travellers.’
Speaker Luke Pearson, Co-founder and Director, Pearson Lloyd, said of seeking cross-disciplinary solutions to sustainable design questions, ‘Working in a multidisciplinary studio, across lots of different fields, we regularly find that we're able to take good ideas from one area and apply them to another. Ultimately, that approach is the one we’re going to have to take if we're really going to solve this problem, because we have very little time to solve it.’
Book your pass today to collaborate with leaders of the cruise, hotel, and aircraft interiors sectors on shaping the future of sustainable interior design.
Our curated calendar of key industry networking opportunities and events for the interior design community features annual trade shows, exhibitions, conferences and design festivals, as well as the latest CPD training, talks, and online webinars.
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This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a hotel design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, YANG.
SBID Awards Category: Hotel Public Space Design
Practice: Yang
Project: Hotel Indigo Nanjing Garden Expo
Location: Nanjing, China
The hotel is located in Nanjing Tangshan Garden Expo, covering an area of 13,745 sq.m. YANG took over the project in June 2020 and completed it within a year. The design team had two major tasks: to create a unique space experience, accurately interpreting Indigo’s neighborhood culture and making the hotel stand out from competitors in the area, and to deliver the spirit of the place through the design with local characteristics, thus drawing attention to the issues concerning the protection of the geological environment in Tangshan.
Tangshan is rich in geological resources. In a one-kilometer radius, there are mine pits dating back over a millennium, abandoned quarries and national geological parks. Since the Indigo brand is always at the heart of closely related neighborhoods, the design team has conducted a thorough geological and cultural investigation of Tangshan and drawn on Tangshan’s original environmental features. Inspired by Tangshan’s mineral ore, the team decided to make it the theme of the space. The design team hoped to inject new vitality into the old mine pits and arouse people's awareness of the issues related to natural recovery and ecological sustainability.
It is the first time that the Indigo brand has entrusted a design team with telling Indigo’s neighborhood story. The team had only one year to work on the project, from the design concept to implementation. Within the limited time, the team managed to create a unique space experience, accurately interpret Indigo’s neighborhood culture, and enhance the competitiveness of the hotel. Since its opening, the hotel has stood out from its competitors in the area and earned a reputation for its distinctive theme, exciting experiences, and neighborhood story. Moreover, the hotel is widely loved by guests and highly praised by the hospitality industry, becoming a must-visit place in Nanjing.
The design is realized through the innovative concept, rich colors, and special materials. The adoption of colorful glass, metal mirror and acrylic create a forest-like mood in the lobby area. The design of the lobby bar and the ADD restaurant is inspired by bonfire, miner’s lamp, and the arc shape of the tent, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The lift lobby and the corridor are transformed into mini exhibition halls showcasing exploration tools. With the theme of “natural recovery,” the guest rooms bring forests, plants, and mosses inside. The minibars and nightstands in the guest rooms are in the form of mining toolboxes, blended into the surroundings.
The SBID International Design Awards is one of the world-acclaimed awards for design excellence. This annual event offers a unique opportunity to meet creative professionals and provides a perfect platform for all entrants to learn from each other and, especially for entrants from China, to promote their works on the SBID Awards’ globally respected stage. We are honored that YANG has become a finalist with the project Hotel Indigo Nanjing Garden Expo and that this project entry has been selected to feature as one of the popular “Project of the Week” stories on the SBID blog. Thank you for the recognition. We will bring the industry more outstanding works. Let’s look forward to it!
Questions answered by Yang Bangsheng, Founder and President, YANG & Associates Group.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's design!
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a modern and functional family apartment design by Bajer Sokol, click here to read it.
Siminetti has announced a partnership with Plastiks, whose mission is to connect people around the world to fight global plastic pollution. Plastiks is a recovery-guarantee marketplace that enables sponsorship of projects in a new initiative to help reduce plastic waste in the environment. In line with its ethos to produce products that are sustainable and natural, Siminetti, is working with Plastiks to prevent plastic waste from invading the oceans, while improving the quality of life of local communities involved in collecting plastic.
Siminetti works with the world’s leading interior designers, architects and private individuals to offer Freshwater and Saltwater Mother of Pearl luxury mosaics and decorative panels in a range of colours, styles and patterns. Their Saltwater pearl is sourced from Pacific communities who depend on sustainable relationships with ocean lagoons; the shells are a bi-product of the food and pearl industry, which Siminetti sources directly, using shells that would otherwise be discarded.
Under the Plastiks initiative, for every m2 of Siminetti product sold, a kilo of plastic will be recovered from the ocean, which provides communities with additional income, while creating a circular economy model, around recycling the ocean harvested waste and upcycling it into new products.
Plastiks launched earlier this year as the world's first utility NFT dedicated to revolutionising the fight against plastic waste. Each NFT created uses data to certify that a corresponding amount of plastic has been recovered, thus ensuring that it does not end up in the environment.
Siminetti has chosen, via Plastiks, to specifically support the Second Life project; a social enterprise in Southern Thailand that teams up with coastal communities to collect plastic waste from the sea. The objective is to provide those communities with additional income, while creating a circular economy model, around recycling the ocean harvested waste and upcycling it into new products. It’s known that plastic can have many lives beyond the single use given to it and that’s the goal of Second Life project, which aims to maximise social impact by engaging in geographies where waste infrastructure is underdeveloped.
All of these environmentally beneficial investments are showcased using Plastiks' Sustainability Dashboard, a real time view of plastic recovery that clients can view via the Siminetti website. Clients will receive a certificate that provides information about the amount of plastics recovered by the project on their behalf.
Simon Powell, CEO of Siminetti, said: ‘Our collaboration with Plastiks represents an additional and powerful step in our joint goals of sustainability and regeneration. In conjunction with Plastiks and our chosen project, Second Life, we have a unique opportunity to reveal the value of plastic, share this with our clients and together make a direct impact in the effort to stop ocean plastic pollution.
The NFTs allow our clients to directly contribute to the global fight against plastic waste and improve the lives of the people on the ground. I am immensely proud that Siminetti is able to work with these groups through this fantastic project’.
Andre Vanyi-Robin, CEO of Plastiks, said, ‘We’re delighted that Siminetti has chosen Plastiks to help it lead the way in sustainable living and plastic recovery. We hope to expand our network of companies across the globe who are dedicated to reducing the amount of single-use plastic ending up in the environment, while enabling them to demonstrate to their stakeholders that they are fully committed to tracking, measuring and fighting plastic waste’.
Siminetti is committed to the climate action agenda and this initiative with Plastisks allows them to address plastic pollution as part of their sustainability journey. The company will now have its positive footprint recorded and openly available in the marketplace, to be shared with its customers and the global community.
About Siminetti
Siminetti was founded in 2010 and works with some of the world’s leading designers, architects and private individuals to offer freshwater and saltwater pearl, mosaics and decorative panels in a range of colours, styles and patterns. Using only the finest freshwater and saltwater pearl from around the world, Siminetti is proud of its ethical credentials, ensuring they meet strict ecological standards and are sourced from sustainable, farmed locations wherever in the world they are grown.
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