WITH our forests ever decreasing and precious resources being used for an increasing market in wood flooring, IMPERVIA FLOORING describe themselves as the sustainable option to reduce impact on the environment, while creating a product that’s durable enough for the highest traffic areas.

Impervia Flooring has a FloorScore rating which has been tested by SGS. FloorScore is the most recognised indoor air quality (IAQ) certification standard for hard-surface flooring materials, adhesives, and underlayment’s. Developed by SCS with the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI), a leading industry trade association of flooring manufacturers and suppliers, it qualifies for many green building schemes including LEED v4, WELL, BREEAM, CHPS, and Green Globes.

Impervia is said to have a Gold Rating with Greenguard (UL) and it’s been tested and scientifically proven to have low chemical emissions. This means Impervia has no harmful emissions making it suitably safe for anyone with any allergies or breathing issues.

The company says: ‘We’ve an Environmental Product Declaration, or EPD, which transparently communicates the environmental performance or impact of any product or material over its lifetime. Within the construction industry, EPDs support carbon emission reduction by making it possible to compare the impacts of different materials and products to select the most sustainable option.

Architects, engineers, and designers can choose the most sustainable option for their project. Manufacturers can optimise the impact of their products and market their carbon transparency. Impervia meets the stringent Californian regulations and was assessed by SGS.’

Retrofit
Retrofitting or refurbishing any existing building can be costly if not researched properly.
Often retrofit involves modifications to existing commercial buildings that may improve energy efficiency or decrease energy demand.

Retrofitting an existing building can oftentimes be more cost effective than building a new facility. Since buildings consume a significant amount of energy for heating and cooling and because existing buildings comprise the largest segment of the built environment, it’s important to initiate energy conservation retrofits to reduce energy consumption and the cost of heating, cooling, and lighting buildings.

But conserving energy isn’t the only reason for retrofitting existing buildings. Doing so will mean the building will be less costly to operate, will increase in value, last longer, and contribute to a better, healthier, comfortable environment for people to live and work. Designing major renovations and retrofits for existing buildings to include sustainability initiatives will reduce operation costs and environmental impacts and can increase building adaptability and durability.

Carbon Emission Reduction
Impervia Flooring is said to be working towards net zero by 2030 and say always been conscious of sustainability and reducing its impact on the environment. The company says: ‘The UK has a mission to reduce its carbon footprint to zero by 2050. One major factor that could help in its ambition is to retrofit more buildings. An example where Impervia flooring has been used, is a conversion from an office to residential apartments in Wembley called York House. The cost saving of using Impervia because of the acoustic back-layer and residential warranty of 30 years, was more than 35% of previous estimates. The energy and carbon footprint used for new builds is huge compared to retrofitting or refurbishing and existing building.’

Transportation and distribution
Impervia are said to have a direct contract with Maersk who’re aiming for ZERO carbon emissions by 2040. ‘Currently they use green fuels for immediate carbon savings, all our global freight utilises this bio-fuel source,’ says the company. It adds: ‘For deliveries in the UK, we work with Brooks Transport Services, an independent warehouse and logistics company who, like us, are on a mission to reduce carbon emissions and still provide class-leading service.’

End of Life treatment
The company concludes: ‘We expect Impervia flooring to last significantly more than 30 years, even though it has a 30-year residential warranty, and in many cases, it should last as long as any building. It can also be taken up and re-laid after the initial installation many times if done correctly.
Recycling remains an option as the product can crushed at the end of its service life to produce stone granules for porous driveways.’
contact@impervia.co.uk