GKN Automotive International Headquarters

THE CHALLENGE

It is estimated that a commercial building may have 30-40 fit-outs during its lifecycle.

And with recent research by Perkins & Will identifying that fit-out is responsible for 40% of energy consumed by a building, environmentally conscious building-owners, tenants and contractors are naturally keen to minimise the effect of refits on the planet.

This fit-out project for GKN Automotive’s International Headquarters based on the 2nd floor of London Victoria’s Nova North redevelopment is a fantastic example of how the various project stakeholders have collaborated to create a sustainable space without sacrificing design.

 

 

 

 

 

“300 tonnes of fit-out material goes to landfill every day”

Source: Perkins and Will

 

 

 

One of the key drivers for the project was achieving a SKA silver rating on all installed products.

Led by RICS, SKA ratings are an environmental assessment method used to rate commercial fit-out projects against a set of sustainability good practice criteria.

The recommendations include reducing the amount of floor finishes sent to landfill by re-using or recycling coverings and raised access flooring wherever possible.

This led to adhesive-free installation for all flooring being specified by both the building owner Landsec and design consultants Thirdway.

BRE Adhesive-Free flooring for construction

THE SOLUTION

Specialists in commercial flooring installation, Delta Commercial Flooring won the contract to install flooring onto the raised metal access flooring across the office area.

A mixture of floor covering types was specified, and so for ease and speed of installation, Delta needed an adhesive-free installation method that was compatible with them all.

The products specified were:

LVT planks – Tarkett iD Inspiration in timber effect

Woven vinyl tiles – Bolon Graphic Texture Black

Carpet tiles – Desso Desert and Grezzo

A universal system for creating floating floors, award-winning IOBAC MagTabs were the ideal solution.

Magnetic on one side and self-adhesive on the other, these smart little tabs work by locking flooring tiles tightly together using a unique 2-dimensional grip to create the next generation in “floating floor” technology.

Recently reformulated to give even more superior hold, the tabs enable a wide variety of floor coverings to be installed adhesive-free to raised metal access floors.  The flooring can be loose-laid in different laying patterns to meet client’s specifications.

Hard to Shift, Easy to Lift – the flooring can be cleanly uplifted, with no contamination to the access floor, for easy re-use or recycling.

THE BENEFITS

FOR BUILDING OWNERS and TENANTS

ACHIEVE CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY GOALS
  • Clean, contamination-free installation and uplift of flooring
  • Access floor uncontaminated > minimal rectification needed in between leases, saving time and costs
  • Floor covering uncontaminated > extend life of flooring via reuse, rather than landfill
  • Minimal disruption during installation – no odour/delays – walk on floor as soon as it’s laid
FLEXIBLE FLOORING FOR MODERN BUILDINGS
  • Secure, durable hold for high traffic areas due to Dual Grip technology
  • Easy access, repair and maintenance – tiles can be quickly replaced without the need for professional installers
  • Proven award-winning technology across range of floor covering types

FOR ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS

FLOORING AS A CIRCULAR MATERIAL
  • Adhesive-free installation enables reuse of flooring materials/diversion from landfill
  • Floor covering life extended beyond single use
  • MagTabs are fully recyclable and reusable
  • Help clients achieve sustainability goals
DESIGN FLEXIBILITY
  • Proven for use with a wide range of floor coverings
  • Freedom of design to create spaces with swappable floor finishes
  • Modular method facilitates separation and recombination of materials
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FOR FIT-OUT and FLOORING CONTRACTORS

FAST, HASSLE-FREE INSTALLATION
  • Reduced preparation steps
  • Simplified installation process – no fiddly clicking or messy adhesives – intuitive and quick
  • Universal Compatibility gives peace of mind that floor covering is well secured to access floor 
CLIENT SATISFACTION
  • Trusted method of meeting adhesive-free specifications
  • Reduced material costs
  • Labour savings due to speed of installation

FOR FLOORING MANUFACTURERS

MAINTAIN SPECIFICATIONS
  • Trusted adhesive-free installation method
  • Amazingly secure hold to diverse range of floor covering types and brands
  • Extend life of floor coverings, promote circularity
BRE Adhesive-Free flooring for construction