Transforming offices into eco-friendly workspaces is an ambition shared by many companies. The key to this virtuous circle is to choose sustainable, healthy and environmentally-friendly materials. To facilitate this transition, find out which types of coverings and products to choose for your professional spaces.
"Going green" in the office is a rewarding and, contrary to popular belief, often economical option. Eco-responsible materials are becoming increasingly popular, without increasing energy costs. In addition to reducing their environmental impact, they also improve indoor air quality. An overview of existing materials:
Wood, hemp, cork: guaranteed insulation for your workspaces
Need to insulate your walls? Opt for wood, straw, hemp or linseed oil (to waterproof a pre-existing wall), all of which are ecological par excellence. Cork, an excellent sound absorber, cellulose wadding and recycled textiles are also good alternatives.
Used in the right thicknesses, they all offer equivalent or superior thermal performance to traditional insulation materials such as rock or glass wool, polystyrene or polyurethane.
Sisal, rush, linoleum: biodegradable coverings for professional spaces
Sisal and sea rush are the talk of the interior design trade. And with good reason: made from plant fibers, these coverings are both elegant and totally biodegradable.
Linoleum - not to be confused with PVC lino - is 100% natural and recyclable, made from chalk, resin, natural pigments, jute, wood powder and cork bark. It is distinguished by its antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-allergenic qualities.
Eco-friendly paints for your collaborative spaces
There's a wide choice of paints labelled "natural", "ecological" or "organic", all of which represent alternatives to oil-based paints. Based on linseed or castor oil, beeswax or pine resin, they are of good environmental quality.
Not all products are certified. Products that have actually been certified, following an analysis of their life cycle, bear the NF Environnement, European Ecolabel or Natureplus marks.
In addition to cost, consider the advertised level of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), the small particles that evaporate into the air during application, or over time, and are harmful to health.
Stone, wood, ceramics: noble, natural materials
Aesthetically pleasing, stone has found its place in some businesses as a wall covering or storage space. The choice is vast: marble, granite, limestone, slate...
Popular for building structures and furniture, wood - beech, oak, pine - is extremely hard-wearing. It requires regular, easy and environmentally-friendly maintenance, thanks to natural oils and varnishes.
Made from terracotta and pigments, ceramics offer an original solution for worktops or wall cladding. It is generally more expensive than previous materials. But it can be attractive and "sellable", in a shop for example.