Dulux Trade
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Dulux Trade Ecosure paints the UK's first carbon zero green house
Creating the ultimate 'Green' house is a challenge the whole building industry should be focussing on. Building materials suppliers, in addition to house builders, have a significant role to play, a fact that has not been lost on Barratt, one of the UK's leading house builders, and Dulux Trade.
In 2007, Barratt Development PLC won the Home for the Future Design Award, receiving more than 22,000 votes from readers of the Mail on Sunday and Real Estate TV. The company then began construction of a prototype Green House, the UK's first carbon zero home, at the BRE Innovation Park, Watford. Integral to the design and building's sustainability performance was Ecosure by Dulux Trade.
Peter Bloomfield of Barratt Development explains: "To achieve carbon zero, we had to construct a building that achieves Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and this means looking beyond the usual measures of insulation, energy performance and so on, to go the extra the mile.
"In Ecosure, we found a paint solution that is genuinely environmentally sustainable which enhanced our design and the ecofriendly properties of the Green House prototype."
Dulux Trade Ecosure represents an approach to sustainability that is based on scientific rigour and was developed in conjunction with leading independent sustainability experts, Forum for the Future.
Specifically formulated to have a demonstrably lower environmental impact than standard products, Ecosure still maintains the high standards of quality and performance of all Dulux Trade paints.
The range comprises Matt, Gloss and Undercoat formulations, each water-based and offering 'best in class' performance. Using the 'Environmental Impact Analyser', a cradle to factory gate analytical tool developed with Forum for the Future, Dulux Trade has been able to measure the reduction in environmental impact, using two key sustainability criteria, namely embodied carbon and VOC.
Christine Lewsey, interior designer for the Green House, added: "It was not just the sustainability benefits of Ecosure that made it such an attractive proposition. At the end of the day, we are trying to develop the UK's first zero carbon home and it still needs to feel like a home. We found the range of colours Ecosure offers meant we could give the prototype that 'homely' feeling - which is vital if we are to get the UK public to buy-in to zero carbon houses."
Nicolas Guichard, Brand Manager for Dulux Trade core range, said: "Ecosure is making a genuine contribution towards creating the UK's first carbon zero home and we felt it was a natural fit to be involved in the Green House project.
"The Green House represents a huge step towards sustainability in the building industry, and moving forward, Ecosure will enable specifiers to choose products that are proven to have a lower environmental impact, thereby helping them meet their sustainability objectives without compromising on performance."
Dulux Trade Ecosure Matt is available in Pure Brilliant White, Magnolia and the full ICI Dulux Trade colours, including Colour Palette, Professional Colour Card and Heritage ranges as well as British Standard BS4800 and RAL Classic. Ecosure Gloss and Undercoat are available in Pure Brilliant White as well as an extensive colour range.
