Innovations in Paint

Patrick Folkes, Director at Graphenstone, discusses how paint can improve a building’s sustainability & CO2(e) credentials

When thinking of innovation, there are a myriad of associations: slick shiny gadgets, bio tech, big sustainability projects and many more. Paint probably wouldn’t be in there, but I would like to make the case for that to change.

Innovation, modernisation and sustainability can be channelled across all aspects of a business, to varying degrees. But when considering this in conjunction with buildings, it’s not all triple glazing, cavity wall insulation and minimising waste; the building itself can be made to work for the environment.

Graphenstone has created a paint certified with one of the world’s lowest carbon footprint profiles in CO2(e), that also feature a significant CO2 absorption benefit during the curing process. One of our purifying products can actively remove air-borne toxins like NOx and SOx, year after year, using light energy. It can also self-clean!

Making lots of small tweaks to your normal process can add up to something big. Imagine if all buildings were painted with material that actively removed carbon from the atmosphere! Innovations like this mean that your building, by doing nothing after painting it, can contribute to a greener future.

Many paints have rather less-than green credentials when it comes to production, but I’m happy to say that ours are different, and harness cutting-edge technology for the best performance, including developments that were worthy of a Nobel Prize.

Based on natural materials, the ingredients used are sustainable, minerals such as lime, chalk, clay and silicate are paired with graphene technology, made from pure inert carbon and the strongest material on earth. It was discovered at Manchester University in 2004 by two scientists, both of whom are now Nobel prize winners, due to the extraordinary potential behind this remarkable, clean-tech advancement.

Our products comply with Building Standards such as BREEAM, WELL & LEED and hold one of the widest ranges of respected certifications on the market, such as Cradle to Cradle Gold, Global Green Tag, and Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold.

This unique combination of the oldest, most trusted minerals, together with 21st-century technology, has meant it is possible to produce an incredible product that is ecological yet extremely durable, with a clean-tech range to create safe and healthy environments, with no compromise on performance. Graphenstone’s range contains no plastics, man-made chemicals or microbeads, with only Trace VOCs (under 0.1 per cent).

Our paint can also improve working environments. Whether working from home or in the office, it’s incredibly important to consider the air quality of our workspaces. Our paints are anti-bacterial, absorb smells and are even anti-fungal due to their very high natural pH, so no black spots on the office walls. Ambient Pro+, our flagship paint, also absorbs CO2 in curing, and its photocatalytic capabilities offer an air-purification benefit, removing toxins like NOx, SOx and other harmful gasses, year after year, post application.

I am proud to say that Graphenstone is now the most independently certified, sustainable and ecological mineral paints brand in the world!

A NEW COAT OF PAINT

Graphenstone paints have been widely used across all the key sectors of heritage, commercial and private dwellings. Facebook UK are using our products across all new buildings (including their new HQ at Brock St), as well as refurbishments. The products used, Graphenstone “GCS”, hold Cradle to Cradle Gold certification, are highly breathable (vapour open) and washable.

Perfect for heritage, these same products were used at Spetchley Park, a large listed stately home in Worcestershire, in multiple colour ways, some of which we matched to old paint colours already present. We now have a supply agreement with Eden Project, Cornwall and are soon launching a collaboration with Ashmolean Museum Oxford, with a limited range of magnificent co-branded colours.