PURLINE organic flooring: base for a healthy learning environment

Students and teachers spend a big part of their school day indoors. That’s why it’s essential to create a healthy and comfortable learning environment. One of the aspects that have a central role here is the indoor climate. A healthy indoor climate at schools promotes the learning performances and the health of both students and teachers. In this article we will go deeper into a few elements of a healthy indoor climate and how PURLINE organic flooring forms the base for a healthy and attractive learning environment.

IMPORTANCE OF A HEALHY INDOOR CLIMATE

A poor quality of the indoor environment can cause serious health complaints. Think of headaches, exhaustion, dullness, irritation of the mucosa and the worsening of allergies. It also results in an increased spread of bacteria and viruses. At schools this leads to loss of concentration, lower learning performances and more absenteeism. Unfortunately, many schools lag behind when it comes to a healthy indoor climate. Recently, municipalities and the two biggest school boards have sounded the alarm bells on school accommodation. In an open letter to the minister, they argue for renewal and renovation of school properties to be put high on the list of priorities by the Ministry of Education. According to them, this takes roughly a billion euros per year. “Only this way a healthy indoor climate can be realized in all school buildings, and we can make them more sustainable and suitable for inclusive and modern education. It’s the only way to invest in pleasant, fresh, and contemporary buildings with a positive contribution the learning performances and well-being of students.”

GOOD AIR QUALITY

One of the most critical elements of a healthy indoor climate is the air quality. Proper air quality in classrooms implies sufficient ventilation and minimal levels of pollution compounds. Clean air helps to enhance concentration and reduce health complaints. It prevents student and teachers from being exposed to harmful compounds like (too high concentrations of) carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds (VOC) which may originate from the materials in classrooms and cleaning supplies. These harmful substances can cause fatigue and all kinds of health complaints and therefore it’s of big importance to contain them in school environments. PURLINE 1500 organic flooring of wineo forms the perfect base for a healthy learning environment with a good air quality. These odorless bio-based floors do not emit harmful substances and are free of chloride, solvents, and plasticizers. Environmental quality marks and certifications like the Blue Angel, Cradle to Cradle Silver, BREEAM, LEED, DGNB and WELL underline this.

A SILENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Sound control is another aspect to support a healthy indoor climate at schools. Abundant sound in classrooms can disturb the concentration and obstruct the learning process. That’s why it’s of the essence to use sound absorbing materials and constructions to reduce noise nuisance. This contributes to a quiet and productive learning environment where students and teachers can study and work undisturbed. Proper sound control enhances the acoustic comfort and makes students and teachers feel calm and at ease. PURLINE flooring has an elastic floor surface, which not only provides enhanced walking comfort but also pleasant acoustics. In particular, this has a positive effect on walking noise, significantly reducing the perceived noise in the room compared to, for example, hard flooring such as PVC.

CLEANABILITY AND HYGIENE

The cleanability of materials also plays an important role in the realization of a healthy indoor climate. Easy and fast to clean surfaces contribute to good hygiene. The use of stain resistant and simple to maintain materials reduce the spread of pathogens and allergens. They, amongst other things, reduce the accumulation of dirt, making mold less likely to bond and develop. With their closed surface structure and wear resistant top element, PURLINE 1500 flooring is easy to clean, less sensitive for staining and economic in maintenance. Upon deployment it’s not necessary to treat the surface first or to coat it with polymer dispersions. Nor is it needed to use special maintenance products. For regular maintenance, wiping the floor with a humid towel is sufficient. Only with heavy soiling, PU-cleanser needs to be added to the water. This saves a lot of work and costs on maintenance supplies, creating a reduction of up to 30% on maintenance costs. For this reason, the life cycle costs of PURLINE 1500 flooring are substantially lower compared to other commonly used flooring solutions.

ALL-ROUNDER FOR EDUCATION

PURLINE 1500 proves itself as a true all-rounder in education environments. On top of the aspects mentioned above, the organic floors are also available in a vast diversity of contemporary colors and designs. From soft pastel tones and striking colors on roll to contemporary wood-looks and stone patterns on plank or tile. The various sizes, from XS to XL, give you the opportunity to play with the desired appearance of the floor. Installation is easy and fast, without unpleasant odors. This way, you create both a healthy and an appealing learning environment, that stimulates and motivates students and in which teachers enjoy teaching.

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