Blog
Recycled and Sustainable Washrooms at UEA
Every day people talk about going green and the positive impact that decision can have on the planet. It’s not easy to understand how we affect the environment as individuals, but it’s vital to try to recognise the importance of sustainable living. At Dunham’s, we understand the importance of caring for the environment and aim to not only reduce our environmental impact, but also promote the efficient use of resources, energy and fuel throughout our operations. We work with our suppliers and partners to source sustainable materials as well as trying to minimise pollution, waste and consumption of resources.
University Of East Anglia’s Building 60
University of East Anglia is constantly working to create a university that’s in line with these same values and we’ve recently managed to support them with a ground-breaking new project. Building 60 is one of the latest developments of UEA and is described as a “state of the art” teaching space on the campus. We helped support the building’s aim to be sustainable by using 100% recycled and recyclable IPS (Integrated Plumbing System) panels manufactured by Smile Plastics. Smile Plastics is a material-design and manufacturing house that specialise in crafting exquisite panels from waste materials.
Recycled Panels
We manufactured the panels in-house with our modern CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machinery, which meant that the panels were created as efficiently as our standard materials. Another thing that makes this washroom different is the fact that every IPS panel is unique. Because the panels were made from recycled materials each one has its own unique pattern. The panels are also 100% waterproof, rot-proof and UV-resistant (The vibrant colours used won’t fade in sunlight).
School Washrooms
There are a few factors to consider when designing washroom facilities for universities/schools as these facilities will have an impact on the students’ health and wellbeing. Too many details and impractical colours in your school washrooms can make maintaining it extremely hard. You’ll need design and finishes that are easy to keep clean, suitable for students with all abilities and non-slip flooring to keep the students from getting injured. In this case, we made our designs sustainable and from 100% recycled and recyclable materials as well as making sure the factors mentioned above were covered.
We’re extremely honoured to have been a part of this project and hope that it will be an inspiration to many more future projects. We look forward to working with more environment-friendly clients and recycled materials in the future.
