handelsjournal 05.2016

Sustainability: green light, black figures

Can an environmentally friendly furnishing concept be profitable for a small retailer? The company's outlook and corporate philosophy are the decisive factors for success, which often bring natural materials into play as well.

Unlike chain stores, small retailers usually have only one or a few stores. The costs for developing an environmentally friendly interior design concept are therefore much higher per store. Is environmental protection nevertheless a high priority? The answer strongly depends on whether the entrepreneur takes a short or long view with regard to his shop furnishings.

The first option clearly focuses on profitability. If it is compatible with an environmentally friendly concept, so much the better. “In such cases, lighting is the most likely element to be invested in,” says lighting specialist Anton Gassner of Umdasch Shopfitting, “because these investments pay off the fastest.” In addition to energy costs, the cost of cooling the room is also reduced, since LEDs radiate significantly less heat than other light sources.

The customers of Stuttgart architect Frank Dittel are increasingly those retailers who focus on “values, longevity and a commitment to high quality” and take the long view.

In this respect, the Managing Director of the architecture and design office Dittel Architekten thinks that “concepts on an environmentally friendly basis are unbeatable with regard to procurement, use and disposal”. A good example of this is the concept for the Stuttgart café “Pano. Bread & Coffee”, the interior of which was designed by his office.

Looking ahead

“Pano” means “bread” in Esperanto, which stands for originality and craftsmanship according to Pano’s website. Wherever possible, the various foods and beverages are prepared from regional and therefore seasonal products and can be consumed in the café or taken away. The team at Dittel Architekten has translated the theme of sustainability, which is one of the core messages of the company, into high-quality, welcoming materials. Panel parquet was chosen as a floor covering, which was installed in an oblique crosshatch pattern with perimeter fringing. Add to that a 5.50 metre long and 1.50 metre wide table and a more than five metre high shelf made of solid, oiled oak. It gives an impression of very high quality and has a natural character.

In addition, solid wood generally appeals to four human senses and therefore to more senses than other building materials: touch, sight, hearing and, thanks to its fine fragrance, also to smell. The wooden furniture is therefore the most important component of this concept. Large, comfortable armchairs covered with dark brown leather, Italian clay tiles for the floor fries and the panelling of the food counter complete the furnishings.

Trend to natural materials

Wood also plays an important role in the staff canteens at Umdasch Shopfitting and Doka Schalungstechnik in Amstetten, Austria. In keeping with its use as a staff supermarket and restaurant, the atmosphere in this room is different than that in the Pano café: everything looks tidier, not like in your own four walls, but still cosy and harmonious. The various seating options often available today are typical, ranging from conventional chairs and bar stools to long benches. They also provide plenty of variety in terms of their looks and convey individuality instead of an off-the-shelf appearance. However, here too the massive oak covering the floor in the form of white-oiled planks and providing the material for the benches and tables clearly add to the pleasant atmosphere.

So-called flowerpot walls that divide the restaurant area, an architecturally exposed concrete parapet topped with beach grasses and a simple lawn area outside also point to a sense of the natural. This is how the company implemented one aspect that Maik Drewitz, Managing Director of Shop Consult, finds increasingly important: “The trend is towards natural materials as well as haptically interesting surfaces.”

The new Unique ceiling panel from OWA, for example, is appealing in terms of feel and looks. It consists of recycled mineral panels that are produced by wet felting. Since they are not painted white, unlike the other ceiling panels of the manufacturer, their stone-grey surface changes from brighter to darker shades – creating a varied and at the same time discreet appearance. The panels are mounted on a concealed substructure, optionally with white – and thus clearly visible – or with rough chamfer. The four square or rectangular formats allow planners to create different patterns. The panels themselves can be recycled again, creating a cycle of use.

DLW Flooring offers a novelty for the floor: the natural Naturecore floor covering. The printed natural core, which accounts for 90 percent of the product, consists of linseed oil, wood flour, resin and limestone, all natural substances. A mesh backing on the underside ensures stability, while the top of the covering is sealed and therefore robust and impervious to splashes of water. This novelty is a convincing product in terms of environmental protection, since it does without solvents, plasticisers and PVCs and without any pollutants such as halogens, heavy metals or chlorine. Made in Germany and Switzerland, the Naturecore floor covering comes in large-format planks measuring 120 by 20 centimetres and in 18 wood decors. Its thickness of only 2.1 millimetres makes it especially suitable for renovations.

When it comes to wood construction, the company Spax offers a remarkable innovation: the Wirox surface. Its outstanding feature is a corrosion protection that is 20 times higher than that offered by conventional bare galvanizing or zinc flake coating. Moreover, it is abrasion-resistant, stress resistant and free of chromium (VI), making it much more environmentally friendly than other surfaces. The choice of sustainable products is therefore constantly growing. Combined with changing consumer behaviour – away from cheap products towards higher-quality products – and more retailers who take the longer view, environmentally friendly concepts will become more important even for small retailers.

Source: handelsjournal
Editor: Simone Hübener
www.simonehuebener.de
Free translation by DIA – Dittel Architekten