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Innovative surface technology
The day clinic, which began operating in 2021, can networking outpatient and inpatient treatment services. The environmentally friendly choice of materials matches the forward-looking nature of the therapy concept. “We’re always on the lookout for innovative, sustainable building materials and noracare floors were a good fit for these requirements”, says Christoph Krursel from the LWL’s Facility Management unit. The LWL’s Environmental Committee now stipulates PVC-free floor coverings as standard for all buildings and gives preference to recycled materials. “noracare floorings are the perfect choice for a sustainable circular economy, because they are recyclable”, says Martina Hoock, Senior Segment Manager Healthcare and Education at nora. Like all nora® floors, noracare® has been awarded the Silver Cradle to Cradle certificate. These extremely resistant floor coverings are durable and easy to clean, thanks to their innovative surface technology. They also have a low life cycle cost, so they are a bonus for achieving building certification according to the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) and LEED.
CO₂-neutral over the entire product life cycle
Like the entire nora flooring portfolio, noracare floor coverings are CO₂-neutral over their entire product life cycle. “Unlike many other manufacturers, we take as a basis the entire product life cycle, from the procurement of the raw materials to production, use and disposal”, says Hoock. To reduce its CO₂-footprint, nora follows the German Federal Environment Agency’s recommended three-point plan of avoidance, reduction and, finally, compensation of any remaining emissions through emission reduction certificates. “If customers opt for nora flooring — as the LWL did in this case — they will receive a certificate upon request, which certifies that the floor coverings supplied for the building are carbon-neutral over the entire life cycle”, says Hoock. “This programme therefore provides support for customers to achieve their own climate targets.” Because noracare floor coverings are free of phthalate plasticisers, they make a significant contribution to good indoor air quality. noracare floor coverings are Blue Angel (the ecolabel of the German Federal Government), Austrian Ecolabel, Indoor Air Comfort Gold and Finnish M1 certified.
Feel-good rainbow flooring
Zum WThe colour scheme also contributes to the well-being of the young patients: rainbows and cubes (the leitmotifs of the clinic) were brought to the rooms and are reflected in the interior design. The covered seating areas in the hallway and the built-in windows in the therapy room also reinforce the architectural language. Coloured stripes in the light grey flooring symbolise the course of the light rays through the main common areas. The covering was not only laid on the floor; it was also laid on items of furniture, including raised areas. Yellow, green and turquoise rays run from the floor to windows over seating surfaces and walls, creating an extraordinary spatial experience.
As a climate and environmentally friendly flooring solution with a wow effect, noracare floorings are the perfect solution for hospital operators who want to reduce their ecological footprint.
1) Source: Climate Protection Law of the Federal Government, August 2021, https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/themen/klimaschutz/klimaschutzgesetz-2021-1913672.
