While sustainability has been front of mind for many years in the building and design industry, current economic conditions are throwing up many challenges for businesses, including managing uncertainty while continuing to deliver high quality, sustainable buildings on time and in budget. With this in mind, AkzoNobel has renewed its commitment to sustainability by launching Halo, a new tool designed to aid specifiers’ drive for sustainable solutions. The tool, which was unveiled at Ecobuild this week, is the outcome of the leading paints and coatings company’s ambition to work together with customers and suppliers to deliver more value from fewer resources.
With an estimated 55 million litres of paint, 78 million plastic containers and 50 million metal tins going to waste annually in the UK*, it is hoped that specifiers will be able to use Halo to take simple steps, such as adding can recycling into their specifications, to ease environmental pressures. The tool demonstrates Dulux Trade’s and parent company, AkzoNobel’s, commitment to driving sustainability across the industry by pinpointing a number of solutions professionals can implement to save time and costs while creating better, more sustainable spaces.
Halo centres on the needs of the professional by combining overarching sustainability challenges with the common questions that are asked by specifiers. It is a direct response to the needs of Dulux Trade customers, ensuring they can easily meet their sustainability needs by being directed to the right solution. The innovation presents a wide range of Dulux Trade’s high quality products, unique services and useful tools all designed to help overcome common challenges; whether that’s through extending maintenance cycles (even in high-traffic environments), maximising light levels in buildings, improving the wellbeing of occupants, or visualising colours on walls before any paint is applied, therefore preventing unnecessary waste.
Duncan Lochhead, Commercial Sustainability Manager at Dulux Trade, said: “Whether specifiers, have questions about carbon reduction in the built environment, sustainable specification, or reducing decorating waste, they’re encouraged to trial the Halo approach.
“With compliance to schemes like BREEAM and SKA Rating becoming ever-more important and waste reduction close to a mandatory requirement, Halo is expected to save specifiers time by directing them quickly and efficiently to supporting tools and accredited products that will help them meet customer requirements. AkzoNobel recently achieved BES 6001 accreditation for responsible sourcing, meaning that anyone using Halo can select products safe in the knowledge that they won’t risk their reputation if used in their buildings.”
AkzoNobel has been the first mainstream paint brand to provide Environmental Product Declarations for multiple products ranges, and the first in the industry to obtain Carbon Trust accreditation for reducing carbon, water and waste year-on-year.
Halo and other Dulux Trade specifier resources are available through Dulux Trade’s Commercial Marketing Manager Peter Howard ([email protected]).
*AkzoNobel’s “Welcome to Planet Possible. 2016 Deco UK Highlights”
