KING Henry VIII School is Monmouthshire’s first Net Zero carbon school, with more than 15,000sq m of useable floorspace.

The project includes construction of facilities for foundation, primary, secondary, sixth form and children with additional learning needs. The school has community facilities at the heart of the design, and strong biophilic links, reflected in the products installed.

Gollop Contract Flooring installed a range of Forbo Flooring System’s floorcoverings for this project, with its Marmoleum Concrete, Coral Duo and Brush, Surestep Original, Surestep Star and Safestep Aqua, Sphera and Tessera Teviot solutions ideal for the Net Zero ambitions set by the school.

At the heart of the client brief was the need for high-quality flooring that delivered on durability and design.

Says Forbo, ‘A huge effort went into putting together the chosen colour scheme for this project, with a particular focus on the light reflectance values, ensuring everything complied with British Standards regulations and maintained a natural look.

‘As well as this, it was important to reflect the context of the school’s location in Abergavenny – an old market town – and establish a link to its rural roots through the design. The aspiration was to create a school environment that supported the wellbeing and learning of the users, creating a space that felt safe, welcoming and incorporated biophilic elements.’

In terms of the floorcoverings specified, it was essential it delivered on durability and underfoot comfort, while also being aesthetically pleasing.

‘As a result, Rio Architects chose to work with Forbo Flooring Systems – a credit to the manufacturer’s high-quality portfolio, diverse range of safety flooring collections, and expert customer support,’ says the company.

‘While Rio Architects completed the design, they worked closely with Angharad Pocock, workplace specialist – South Wales and south west at Forbo, who provided technical support and advice on the flooring products’ suitability, pendulum test values (PTV), and installation specifications.’

This project has sustainable elements to it, through the specification of Forbo’s portfolio of solutions. As a sustainable manufacturer, Forbo is constantly striving to reduce the environmental impact of its offering, implementing new schemes, processes and methods of working within its factories.

A number of Forbo’s sustainable floorcoverings, including its Climate Positive (carbon negative) Marmoleum flooring – one of the most sustainable solutions on the market, were specified.
In addition to this, the job was planned in such a way as to account for minimal waste of product used, with the exact quantities of product to be delivered calculated, ensuring less waste from over ordering.

Forbo’s Marmoleum is one of the most sustainable products available on the market, made using up to 98% natural raw materials and containing 43% recycled content. Independently certified as climate positive (carbon negative) from cradle-to-gate, without offsetting, every square metre of Marmoleum produced removes 663g of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – a great environmental saving.

Marmoleum also features Topshield pro, a unique top lacquer. Providing exceptional protection to the flooring, helping it to stay looking better for longer, it can prevent unnecessary removal due to scratching or other defects.

Forbo’s Tessera carpet tiles are made from an average of 61% recycled content by mass and are manufactured in factories running off of 100% renewable electricity. In addition to this, the installation and production waste can be collected through Forbo’s ‘Back to the Floor’ scheme, ensuring a more circular process.

Forbo’s Step collection is 100% phthalate-free and incorporates an average of 24% recycled content. Additionally, it’s manufactured in a factory running off 100% renewable electricity, using sources such as wind and solar energy, with the Step collection possessing one of the lowest embodied carbon figures on the market for safety flooring, and an independently verified EPD.

Rio Architects also specified Forbo’s Coral Brush and Duo entrance flooring, which are manufactured using Econyl 100% regenerated yarns. Also, owing to this purpose, entrance flooring is sustainable, helping extend the lifespan of other internal floorcoverings.

Finally, Sphera was specified for the laboratories, with this product manufactured in phthalate free and zero-waste environments, delivering efficient and sustainable manufacturing.

Through the specification of Forbo’s products within the flooring scheme, there was a clear demonstration of an awareness of sustainable practices, with Marmoleum specified in part for its sustainable benefits.

The job was planned in such a way as to account for minimal waste of product used, with the exact quantities of product to be delivered calculated, ensuring less waste from over ordering.

Forbo runs a ‘Back to the Floor’ programme, where offcuts of flooring installations can be returned to the manufacturer. These offcuts will then be repurposed or recycled. The ‘Back to the Floor’ initiative is offered across numerous ranges, contributing to the reduction of flooring waste sent to landfill.

Tom Gollop, director at Gollop Contract Flooring: ‘The Forbo flooring products used in this installation were not only of exceptional quality but also user-friendly, making the entire process smooth and efficient, from order procurement and delivery of materials to the installation process. The ease of installation and durability of its products provided the perfect balance for both functionality and aesthetic appeal.’

Darren Rhys Thomas, senior design manager at Morgan Sindall, said: ‘Forbo’s products are great, with a massive amount of choice available. In addition to this, the quality and price point is extremely competitive. We were also really happy with the support provided. In particular I’d highlight Marmoleum, with great green credentials backed up by readily available evidence, it made for a good news story when successfully installed on this project.’
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