JUNCKERS describes itself as the UK’s leading supplier of solid hardwood floors to the education sector with a long history of manufacturing long-lasting, safe, high performing and sustainable flooring systems. In the past 10 years, the company says it’s supplied flooring to over 800 schools, colleges, and universities in the UK.
For any new schools being built in England, a new maximum allowable embodied carbon measurement is now applicable, an initiative that has been in place for several years in Scotland.
In 2019, the Scottish Futures Trust, which grants funding for new schools, introduced a figure for maximum allowable embodied carbon of 600kg CO2e/sq m for any new school buildings. Since then, Scotland has largely applied Passivhaus principles to all their new-build schools.
Built to support healthy and innovative learning and at the same time minimise energy consumption and emissions, the reduction in the school’s energy costs can be as much as 70%.
Since the introduction of maximum 600kg CO2e/sq m allowed per school, Junckers has provided its sports floors, and sometimes solid wood flooring for other parts of the school, to 90 % of all new schools built.
A new standard
At the end of 2025, the Department for Education is following suit by introducing a maximum allowable embodied carbon of 550kg/CO2e/sq m for 200 new schools to be built in the next five years. Contractors must adhere to the specification requirement and provide materials, including flooring, that will keep the embodied carbon figure as low as possible.
The DfE’s objective is to build sustainable schools with the lowest possible whole life carbon in line with the UK’s net zero objectives.
Biogenic content
Another key measure introduced by the DfE is a requirement to measure the biogenic content of each building – the carbon sequestered in natural materials like wood. Timber is one of the few building materials that actually removes carbon from the atmosphere and locks it away.
Once it’s used in a product like flooring, the carbon stays stored for the lifetime of the building. This is the reason the biogenic content of a Junckers’ floor is listed as a negative figure in the EPD. The shift reflects a broader industry awareness that long-term durability directly affects a building’s carbon footprint.
Health and wellbeing
Says Junckers: ‘As well as a low embodied carbon measurement, Junckers’ flooring delivers excellent indoor quality to benefit the health and wellbeing of students and staff, known to have a significant effect on learning as well as happiness. The pre-finished floors and the range of cleaning and woodcare products used to maintain the floor carry the Danish Indoor Climate label having undergone extensive independent testing.’
A long lifespan
The company continues: ‘A Junckers solid wood floor can be sanded and sealed up to 10 times and with 12-year intervals between sandings, a typical lifespan of 60 years will comfortably be exceeded, a claim probably no other type of sports floor can match. Compared with a typical 15-year life of a synthetic or engineered floor there really is no comparison in terms of lifecycle cost.’
Sustainability
It goes without saying a floor with a long lifespan is also beneficial to the environment. ‘As well as being naturally low in embodied carbon, Junckers’ solid wood floors have full environmental credentials including EPDs, FSC, PEFC, and Indoor Climate certification,’ adds the company.
Social value
For any new or refurbished school, demonstrating social value is a strong factor in securing funding. A state-of-the-art sports hall equipped with a high-quality sports flooring system suitable for a wide range of sports and activities is an asset not only to the school itself but also to the wider community. Providing a safe and high-performing facility can dramatically enhance participation levels as well as serve as a source of income for the school.
Performance
Says Junckers: ‘Junckers’ sports floors perform with unique area-elastic characteristics providing the ultimate freedom of movement, protection against injury and enables the athlete to perform to the best of their abilities. The company’s sports floor solutions are tested and approved in accordance with the European standard EN 14904. Junckers’ activity floor systems fulfil the requirements of classes A3 and A4 under the standard, which means they meet the Department for Education’s and Sport England’s design rules for area elastic floors in schools.’
Flexibility
The company continues: ‘A Junckers sports floor is designed for multi-purpose use. It can easily be adapted for flexible use as a classroom, for example, without the need for any additional protection provided a few simple measures are followed.
‘The floor is hard-wearing and very resistant to scratches, scuffs, and indentations – the same Junckers lacquer finish is used in high-traffic commercial and public buildings. If the floor has become damaged, it is very easy to renovate by sanding and sealing, the cost of which is usually far less than a temporary covering.’
Retractable seating systems
Expected to form a part of the DfE’s new specification guide is a new rule that only hard flooring can be used in conjunction with retractable seating systems – floors that cause trucking or delamination will not be allowed. Says Junckers: ‘Hardwood floors from Junckers are ideal for use with retractable seating systems with countless projects already installed and performing perfectly. Junckers technical department can provide technical support for strengthening the subfloor if necessary; a measure that will not affect the sprung quality of the floor.’
UK-based technical support
Experienced and knowledgeable technical support is available for all projects, large or small, from the design stage to installation and post-installation maintenance. Junckers manufactures its own floors rather than buy from a wholesaler and is therefore able to offer insight and information needed for complex projects, concludes the company.
01376 534700
sales@junckers.co.uk
www.junckers.co.uk
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