Solid hardwood floors have been used in high-profile sports, dance and performances spaces for many decades. As the market leader in the sports flooring sector, Junckers’ area elastic sports flooring is often the ‘go-to’ for any new leisure centre or sports complex as well as world-class arenas used the Olympic Games, world championships and other large tournaments. A professional sports floor is a high-performing system – athletes and designers require a ‘sprung’ floor for both optimum safety and performance, with the right slip resistance and deflection. Junckers has a range of different undercarriage systems to accommodate a variety of requirements, including portable systems used for temporary spaces.

But when it comes to floors for village halls or primary school halls, for example, often referred to as multi-purpose flooring, the perception can be that a sports flooring system fit for state-of-the-art facilities is too advanced or too technically sophisticated and therefore not a suitable option. While it can be true that a multi-activity floor may not require the same level of sprung quality, there is a long list of arguments for installing a solid wood sports floor – an unparalleled lifespan which brings with it low life cycle costs, made from a natural material with low embodied carbon levels, and even the ability to be recycled are just a few.

The undercarriage system requirements for a multi-purpose floor can vary from what is generally known as non-sprung, semi-sprung or fully sprung, depending on use. Junckers has a host of options available to suite all situations.

Floors in schools and village halls are some of the most hard-working surfaces going. They have to be able to withstand a lot of different activities and foot traffic, usually on a daily basis. Building designers often strive to make spaces as versatile as possible which in schools, for example, can mean that a hall may need to function as a sports hall, a place for social events and assemblies, for performances and as a traditional teaching space. Retractable seating systems are now widely used to accommodate audiences for performances and lectures that can impose high loads upon the floor. Junckers has a range of options for strengthening its system, without sacrificing performance and condition.

One of the most fundamental changes of attitude in recent years has been in relation to sustainability and global warming, and this extends to many aspects of a building, including the flooring. A newly built primary school in Scotland has set the standard for sustainable building. Designed by Architype who acted both as architect and Passivhaus designer, Riverside Primary School in Perth & Kinross is the first in Scotland to be built to the Passivhaus standard. Built to support healthy and innovative learning and at the same time minimise energy consumption and emissions, the building is estimated to reduce the school’s energy costs by around 70%.

The new building provides better thermal comfort and ventilation with lower emissions and operational costs. All materials were carefully chosen for their performance and ability to create a warm, natural environment. Natural, non-toxic materials including Junckers’ flooring, create a high-quality finish that also enhances wellbeing for students and staff.

Often specified for Passivhaus buildings, Junckers solid hardwood floors carry the Danish Indoor Climate Label, certifying there are no chemical substances that will adversely affect indoor air quality. Installed in the school’s large multi-purpose, multi-activity hall, Junckers SylvaSport Beech flooring has a perfectly smooth surface which cannot harbour dust or mites. The natural properties inherent in wood also helps to minimise static from electrical equipment.

Beech is a light-coloured timber species which helps to maximise natural light levels by reflecting light into the hall, reducing the need for artificial lighting. In contrast to a dark surface which holds heat and consequently reflects it back into the room, a pale-coloured floor will not contribute to overheating, reducing the energy demand on air cooling systems.

As public buildings, schools are expected to experience decades or even centuries of use. Specifying materials with a proven long lifespan not only means lower life cycle costs, it can also contribute substantially to lower embodied carbon emissions. A Junckers floor can be expected to last well over the 60+ year design life standard. Made in solid wood, it can be sanded and refinished up to ten times without loss of performance. With 12-year intervals between sandings, it is arguably one of the longest lasting flooring options available and will comfortably exceed the industry standard.

Riverside Primary School is not only the first of its kind, it serves as an important reference project for all new schools being built in Scotland. The Learning Investment Programme (LEIP), established by the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), who work with public and private sectors to finance infrastructure projects, incentivises reductions in energy consumption and emissions for newly built schools, as well as improving indoor air quality for students and teachers.