Dulux Trade
Latest Case studies
Colour with hidden talents for Wulvern
When it came to redecorating the communal areas at Waverley Court in Cheshire, Crewe-based housing association, Wulvern, called on the experts at Dulux Trade. Together, they designed an interior scheme that would not only bring a sense of community to Waverley Court's 90 properties, but that would also ensure they were all compliant with fire safety regulations.
Ann Noble, Marketing Manager for Colour and Tinting at Dulux Trade, explains that consulting residents at the design stage is an effective way to encourage them to engage with, and take pride in, their surroundings: "Research shows that people can feel happier in spaces with which they feel a connection, and this connection is strengthened if an individual feels they have a measure of control over it."
As the building at Waverley Court stretches over ten floors high, the brief called for each corridor and communal area to be redecorated with different colours to aid residents' navigation around the building. Dulux Trade worked closely with the specification team and neighbourhood co-ordinator (NCO) at Wulvern to develop colour schemes that would work within the setting of the building, as well as ensuring escape routes and communal areas met with the Disability Discrimination Act and other duty of care regulations.
Peter Wilkinson, Specifier Account Manager at Dulux Trade, comments: "Tenant satisfaction levels are likely to be much higher if the people living in a property feel that communal areas are well maintained; adding colour helps to add a sense of warmth, encouraging a cohesive community atmosphere.
"What's interesting about Waverley Court is that we have also demonstrated how the use of colour can, perhaps surprisingly, be used to help property managers ensure buildings are compliant with health and safety regulations, such as the Disability Discrimination Act."
The communal areas at Waverley Court are naturally subject to high traffic, and have been repainted regularly to keep them looking smart. This led to several layers of potentially flammable paint building up over the years, gradually reducing the fire classification of the original wall and leaving communal areas potentially hazardous in the event of a fire.
"We therefore advised that Waverley Court would benefit from a flame retardant paint system such as Pyroshield, which - although a high-performance, specialist coating that provides vital extra seconds in a fire - boasts a vast colour range," continues Peter. "This meant we had the scope to create 12 different colour schemes for the project."
Paints in the Dulux Trade Pyroshield range contain flame retardant substances that react in a fire to take in oxygen and create steam; this cools the heat of the fire and reduces the amount of oxygen available to feed the flame. It can enhance the flame retardant performance of painted surfaces from Class 3 (BS476 part 7) to Class O in just two coats.
For projects such as Waverley Court, Pyroshield has an added benefit: it can be applied without the need to remove existing layers of paint, saving money and time, and resulting in less disruption for residents. In line with the VOC legislation that came into force on 1st January 2010, the Pyroshield range is water-based and naturally low in VOCs.
For more information on the Dulux Trade Pyroshield range, visit www.duluxtrade.co.uk/pyroshield.
