SPORTS FLOORING FOR SCHOOLS
Junckers is the UK’s leading supplier of solid hardwood floors to the education sector, with a long history of manufacturing long-lasting, safe, high performing and sustainable flooring systems.
In the past ten years, we have supplied flooring to over 800 schools, colleges, and universities in the UK. We work closely with the UK’s leading contractors to provide flooring solutions that fulfil all criteria set out by the Department for Education.
Biogenic carbon content
A key measure introduced by the DfE is a requirement to measure the biogenic carbon content of the building. This is shown in EPDs as a negative figure and therefore represents a reduction in the products’ carbon emissions. Biogenic carbon is carbon stored in biological materials (primarily wood and other plant-based materials). Plants absorb CO₂ during growth through photosynthesis. When incorporated into buildings, that carbon is stored.
On the other hand, vinyl and PU floors are made from fossil fuels. The carbon released from such products is called non-biogenic carbon. Combustion of products made from oil-based plastics generates significant carbon emissions and increases global warming.
The DfE CF 25 Specification Output outlines that designs should use natural materials to create a healthy learning environment, targeting biogenic carbon of 20 kgCO2e/m2 from sequestration. Installing a two-strip hardwood floor in a typical 690 m2four-court sports hall makes a significant contribution, -18,699 kg CO2e or -27.1 kg CO2e/m2.
New embodied carbon limit for school buildings
Embodied carbon is the energy consumed to extract, refine, process, transport and fabricate a material, product or building. Embodied carbon and operational carbon make up whole life carbon. The Department for Education’s (DfE) new construction framework CF 25 includes an embodied carbon limit of 550 kg/CO2e/m2 for 200 new schools to be built in the next five years.
In new buildings, embodied carbon can represent as much as 40-70 % of a building’s whole life carbon footprint. This means that reducing the embodied carbon in a project is a very effective way of reducing a building’s whole life carbon footprint. (source:passivhaustrust)
In Scotland, the Scottish Futures Trust introduced its Learning Estate Investment Programme in 2019 which includes an embodied carbon limit of 600 kg CO2e/m2.
Wales and Northern Ireland currently do not have set standards and guidelines for embodied carbon or whole life carbon but both countries have issued guidelines for meeting embodies carbon targets.
Embodied carbon information can be found in our EPD.
Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment on sports flooring
Another new introduction in the DfE Technical Specification Manual states that timber floors must be specified for multi-purpose halls, sports halls and activity studios where FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment) is used within the space. This includes retractable seating, desk and chairs for when the hall is used for exams, dining furniture, as well as machinery.
The type of timber allowed is maple, beech or oak; solid hardwood or engineered wood with a minimum hardwood veneered surface of 6 mm. Vinyl floors are only allowed for use in dedicated dance and activity studios with no FF&E use.
Lowest life cycle costs
The longevity of a sports floor directly influences life cycle cost.
When comparing the cost of products, it’s essential to take into account the expected lifespan of a product – if it doesn’t align with the building envelope, it can result in the cost needing to be doubled or even quadrupled to arrive at the correct value for the lifetime of the building.
At the end of a 60-year life cycle of a solid hardwood floor you’ll be on the second or third life cycle of an engineered floor and the fourth of a vinyl floor – with all the carbon emissions and replacement costs involved.
Performance
All Junckers’ sports floors perform with unique area-elastic characteristics providing the ultimate freedom of movement, protection against injury and enables the athlete to perform to the best of their abilities.
Our sports floor solutions are tested and approved in accordance with the European standard EN 14904. Junckers’ activity floor systems fulfil the requirements of classes A3 and A4 under the standard, which means they meet the Department for Education’s design rules for area elastic floors in schools.
Longevity
A solid hardwood floor from Junckers has a longer lifespan than most other flooring options. It can be sanded and refinished up to ten times without affecting its quality or performance.
With an interval of approximately twelve years between refurbishments, a design life of 60+ years is easily exceeded. Therefore, the life cycle cost of a Junckers floor is unmatched.
UK-based technical support
Experienced and knowledgeable technical support is available for all projects, large or small. As we manufacture our own floors rather than buy from a wholesaler, we are in a unique position to offer insight and information needed for complex projects.
Flexibility
A Junckers sports floor is designed for multi-purpose use. It can easily be adapted for flexible use as a classroom, for example, without the need for any additional protection provided a few simple measures are followed. The floor is hard wearing and very resistant to scratches, scuffs, and indentations – the same Junckers lacquer finish is used in high-traffic commercial and public buildings.
If the floor has become damaged, it is very easy to renovate by sanding and sealing, the cost of which is usually far less than a temporary covering. Junckers floors can also be used together with retractable seating systems.
Ease of repair
A floor made from solid hardwood is easy to maintain and repair. As it is made up of individual floorboards which are not fixed together, localised repairs are straight forward, and waste is kept to a minimum. The repair of the wooden floor will not impair the performance of the undercarriage system which gives the floor its sprung quality. Junckers offers a 25-year warranty on its flooring as part of an agreed maintenance programme carried out by one of Junckers’ Approved Maintenance Contractors.
Sustainability
A floor with a long lifespan is also beneficial to the environment. The longer a wooden floor remains in use, the longer it will store embodied carbon sequestered during the growth of the tree. It will not contribute to landfill, and it will save the energy needed to manufacture and transport replacement flooring. Junckers has a long history of caring for the environment in the manufacture of its flooring.
As well as being naturally low in embodied carbon, the majority of Junckers’ solid wood floors has full environmental credentials including EPDs, FSC®, PEFC, and Indoor Climate certification.
Reuse
Because Junckers floors are made of nothing but solid wood they are easy to recycle. Very often, a sports floor that is being replaced can be reused as flooring in another location and there is a high demand for reclaimed Junckers floors.
To help facilitate more reuse we have launched our Buy Back Scheme which we hope will give hundreds of square metres of flooring a new life every year, working towards a more circular economy. At the end of its very long life, a solid wood floor is biodegradable and will not harm the environment.
Sub-construction: The foundation for your sports floor
Sub-construction refers to the underlying structure that supports the surface of a sportsfloor. The sub-construction of a home sports floor plays a critical role in the overall performance and safety. A well-constructed sub-floor and sub-structure provide a stable foundation for the surface, ensuring that the floor remains level and does not warp or buckle over time. They also help to absorb shock and reduce the impact on the athletes' joints, helping to prevent injuries.
Choose between a wide variety of sub-constructions that will fit any need you might have.
