The refurbishment of UK-GBC’s London headquarters was a landmark project that needed to inspire employers across the country by setting an exemplar for a low-carbon office refurb, while delivering a space with high wellbeing credentials conducive to improved productivity. UK-GBC turned to Desso, a Tarkett company, to provide a sleek and sustainable flooring installation, helping to deliver an innovative modern workplace – a space that is better for people and for the environment.
To build on the wellness theme, 175m2 of DESSO AirMaster® Sphere carpet was selected for its patented technology – helping to maximise air quality in line with the relevant WELL Standard requirements, including the minimisation of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from materials used. DESSO AirMaster® Sphere contains ECONYL® yarn – a 100% regenerated nylon made from recovered waste materials from Desso’s own Refinity® facility- and is eight times more effective in capturing and retaining fine dust than smooth flooring solutions.
The notion of freshness is reinforced by the centrepiece of the office – a spectacular green wall, featuring 1589 plants. The living wall is designed to introduce increased biophilic elements throughout the office, which have been found to have a positive impact on energy levels and wellbeing.
Neutral shades of grey were selected for the flooring to inspire a sense of tranquility in the office and complement the leafy wall. These calming tones are set against vibrant yellows in the meeting rooms. As well as creating a stylish, contemporary design, the contrast also helps to set the meeting rooms apart as hubs for collaboration and communication.
Elinor Huggett, Sustainability Officer at UK-GBC, comments: "A key aim of the project was to ensure that we were showcasing innovation and best practice. As with all the design features selected for this project, DESSO AirMaster® Sphere carpet was carefully assessed by our team to ensure that it fitted within our carbon budget and supports health and wellbeing."
Desso also collected and recycled the old carpet, helping the project to achieve the lowest embodied carbon footprint ever recorded for an office refurbishment in the UK. The UK-GBC office is a shining example for the sustainable workplace featuring a range of innovative wellbeing measures including DESSO AirMaster® Sphere flooring. With this project, UK-GBC hopes to inspire and encourage employers, landlords and occupiers to set the bar high for sustainability when upgrading their office spaces.
DESSO AirMaster® Sphere is a tufted structured loop pile, and is available in six contemporary colours.