Interface Provides Low Carbon Solution For Hertfordshire County Council
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Global carpet tile manufacturer, Interface has installed a combination of low carbon products at the headquarters of Hertfordshire County Council, to help the council lead by example in its quest to achieve sustainable, high quality buildings throughout Hertfordshire.
The prestigious County Hall building required a flooring solution that supports the Hertfordshire Building Futures campaign – an initiative designed to help building planners, developers and the public make building development in Hertfordshire more sustainable.
Hertfordshire County Council therefore called upon Interface to provide durable modular carpet tiles which would increase maintenance cycles, minimise wastage and reduce the environmental impact of the refurbishment.
Carpet tiles from the Transformation and the Common Ground collection were selected throughout the building and installed using a non-directional method of installation to allow for individual carpet tiles to be replaced easily when damaged or worn.
Steve Ford, Contracts Officer, Building Management Team, Resource and Performance at Hertfordshire County Council, said: “We needed a flooring solution that met a variety of practical requirements and was in-keeping with our drive to inspire a more sustainable future. The design and the flexibility of modular flooring helped to reduce our wastage and extend maintenance cycles, which will avoid unnecessary disruption to council services in the future.”
To meet its environmental requirements, Hertfordshire County Council took advantage of Interface’s Cool Carpet Service. The service uses Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) to measure the total carbon footprint of a product before working with partners to purchase verified carbon offsets that cancel out any remaining carbon emissions produced from the manufacture of the product. This service helped reduce the environmental impact of the building’s refurbishment, without compromising on the performance or design of the carpet tiles.
Steve continued: “The Building Futures initiative aims to increase the use of sustainable building materials, such as those offered by Interface, in order to create a more sustainable county and we are eager to implement the aims of this initiative in our refurbishment programme.”
The County Hall building also required an attractive, easy to maintain design to complement the heritage of the building and improve the working environment for staff in the offices.
Carpet tiles from the Transformation range were specified in the neutral tone of Desert throughout the entrance and reception area of the Registrar’s office. The flooring features a highly textured patterned loop construction for high durability and contains pre-consumer recycled content.
To create a complementary contrast in the corridor and office areas of the main building, carpet tiles from the Common Ground collection were selected in deep blue shades of Hemlock and Boulder. The delicate, textured leaf pattern in a subtle linear design was used to create a professional design and improve the working environment for staff.
Ian King, Director of Four Star Flooring Contracts, said: “Common Ground carpet tiles were fitted in the corridor areas of the main building, and we are really pleased with the result. The product was easy to install because it is so versatile. We were hardly left with any wastage which ultimately saves the customer money, and helps us to deliver an even more efficient service.”
Interface will continue to work with the Council to deliver a range of flooring designs throughout County Hall.
