11. July 2019 | Germany | Project References

Education in the Middle Kingdom on floors from Weinheim

Everything for the children: Rubber floor coverings form the optimal basis for Chinese high-end school

Weinheim, July 2019 – Education has traditionally been very important in China. It is seen as a ticket to a dream job and as the basis for a successful future. The state-mandated one-child policy, which was only officially ended in 2015, means that Chinese parents pay much attention to the educational career of their often only child from the outset. China's growing middle class wants to provide young people with the best possible and international education, preferably in a private school – as in the Weifang Hansen International School in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong. In order to create an environment that enables teaching at the highest international level, the high-end school also relies on the highest quality of equipment and building materials: Around 30,000 square meters of noraplan signa rubber flooring by nora systems is used inside the educational institution.

Durable and robust for decades of durability

Opened in 2017, Weifang Hansen International School in the new Shandong Technology Centre was designed by the major Chinese education provider 271 education group and, with a British director and numerous English-speaking teachers, is a perfect synthesis of Chinese and Western culture. Girls and boys are taught here from kindergarten to high school. "Everything for the children" is not only the educational concept of the school, but also the architectural design principle. There are modern facilities such as multifunctional art centres and robotic classrooms, as well as a wide range of leisure activities with swimming pools and gyms. Three factors were particularly important for the builders and users of the floor: longevity, environmental compatibility and comfort. The planned service life of the school is 50 years, so the floor coverings for the highly frequented areas such as the entrance hall, corridors, games room and library had to be particularly robust . nora floor coverings are made of rubber through and through, are virtually indestructible due to their extremely dense surface and can last decades. The advantage: The less frequently a floor needs to be replaced, the lower the life cycle cost. In addition, nora floors are the only elastic floor coverings that do not require a coating. There is no need to clear out classrooms or block corridors for recoating floors. The floors are reasy to clean with simple wiping – an advantage for life cycle assessment and maintenance.

Good indoor air and quiet floors for the best learning environment in XXL format

When it comes to the health of their children, Chinese parents set the highest standards and like to rely on quality "Made in Germany". Good indoor air quality quality was also of great importance for the school management of the Weifang Hansen International School, as students and teachers spend the whole day in the school. nora floors are free from PVC, phthalate plasticisers and halogens. They were therefore – as the first elastic floor coverings ever – awarded the Blue Angel ecolabel for their low emissions. In addition, all nora standard products have the GREENGUARD certificate for indoor air quality. The criteria therefore met all requirements. In XXL schools such as the Weifang Hansen International School, it is particularly important to ensure good acoustics and to minimise the sound propagation in the building. Rubber floor coverings dampen the walking and background noises, supporting a quiet learning and teaching atmosphere. The permanent elasticity of the nora floors is also a plus in terms of an ergonomic working environment, as teachers often stand for hours during the school day. nora rubber floors noticeably relieve the back and joints and thus result in fewer symptoms of fatigue than harder surfaces. In addition, rubber floor coverings are non-slip and thus also ensure the safety of students and teachers. They were therefore also installed in areas with an increased risk of falling, such as the stairs to the sports stadium.

Great variety of colours and inlays for a learning-friendly ambiance

Depending on the field of application, the planners of the Weifang Hansen International School opted for different colours and a zoning of areas using inlays: noraplan signa offers timeless and elegant shades of grey and beige as well as discreet yellow to give a restrained contrast to the colourful furniture and furnishings. noraplan signa not only impressed the decision-makers of the Weifang International School with its versatility. With almost 135,000 square meters, the floor is also a real bestseller in Chinese education – for a positive and healthy learning environment.

More about nora rubber flooring at the Weifang International School in the video: https://youtu.be/DW8p7BZFVx0 *

* The text can be freely used. Publication of images in connection with press releases of nora systems GmbH is free of charge if the source is quoted. The copyright can be found under Image Properties >> Details. The use for advertising purposes is not permitted. We ask for a specimen copy.

About nora

nora by Interface is the commercial rubber flooring brand of Interface, Inc. Produced in Germany for more than 70 years, nora premium rubber solutions help to support operations, efficiencies, health, safety and well-being with sustainable flooring that eases maintenance, reduces noise, and provides added comfort underfoot.

Interface, Inc., (NASDAQ: TILE) is a global flooring solutions company and sustainability leader, offering an integrated portfolio of carpet tile and resilient flooring products that includes Interface^® carpet tile and LVT, nora^® rubber flooring, and FLOR^® premium area rugs for commercial and residential spaces. Made with purpose and without compromise, Interface flooring brings more sophisticated design, more performance, more innovation, and more climate progress to interior spaces. A decades-long pioneer in sustainability, Interface remains “all in” on becoming a restorative business. Today, the company is focusing on carbon reductions, not offsets, as it works toward achieving its verified science-based targets by 2030 and its goal to become a carbon negative enterprise by 2040.

Learn more about Interface at interface.com and blog.interface.com, nora by Interface at nora.com, FLOR at FLOR.com, and our sustainability journey at interface.com/sustainability.