Specified by EGGER | Issue four

© Archwood House at Eagle Wharf

Josh Caddick

Welcome back to

specified

The market faced a number of cost challenges throughout 2022. The trend continues as we approach the end of Q1 2023.

Project budgets are facing increasing strain, with interiors often seeing significant cuts at the final stage in the specification journey.

That is why Specified continues to deliver clear cut, cost saving solutions that don’t compromise on design. In this issue we provide tips on material optimisation, and how to specify products that offer cost saving potential at source and ongoing.

This time, we focus on the UK PBSA sector, offering solutions to the challenges and opportunities faced by designers and developers. In sustainability, we offer an alternative to ‘greenflation’, and we put worktops and door laminates under the material spotlight.

Don’t forget to drop into the back pages for the latest news, Material Lab, and details on how to get in touch.

Scott Davison Specification Senior Account Manager

© Alexandru Prodan; VIM studio

© Links FF&E Ltd

© Nido Student Living

© The Depot, Generation

© Bailey Fields, Whittam Cox Architects and Generation

© Luca Ulysess Beckerson

The Student Bed Shortfall

2022 closed with a UK student bed shortfall of 1.5 million. The pipeline of 102,000 planned beds won’t scratch the surface. This, and the counter-cyclical nature of the Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) sector, make it attractive territory for investors in 2023. The nature of PBSA is changing. Social and amenity spaces are now crucial to brand success as developers look to sell lifestyle, not just a bed. To do this, interior designers need to focus on experience and brand identity.

H3157 ST12

U604 ST9

U323 ST9

EGGER laminate is used for desks, table tops and booth seating in the amenity spaces at 543 bed development Bailey Fields.

U989 ST9

All images © Bailey Fields, Whittam Cox Architects, Troy and Generation

There’s more...

Demand for PBSA in the current economic climate pushes specifiers to look for cost effective materials that are readily available. A focus on ESG is also shaping the final specification.

Part of meeting the brief is specifying materials that combine both factors: affordable and sustainable.

EGGER provides efficient materials, manufactured with an environmental conscience and delivered via an integrated UK distribution network with turnaround from 24 hours.

In this issue, we explore how our offer can benefit PBSA developers and designers in this sector.

Choose laminate for high traffic surfaces in communal spaces such as common rooms and gyms.

U989 ST9

U321 ST9

U780 ST9

U502 ST9

Fabrication: Troy

Design: Whittam Cox Architects Operator: Generation

Creating brand identity

EGGER is unique as a supplier in manufacturing a matching product portfolio of board, laminate and edging from a single source.

The benefit?

Assured availability of matching finishes in materials for multiple applications means specifiers can carry a brand identity through private rooms and amenities with ease.

Decor consistency means a uniform look can be achieved across any number of units.

Our 21 plants worldwide hold the same Decorative Collection, meaning brand identity can be maintained in international developments and in UK developments with overseas fabrication.

Eurodekor MFC is used for kitchen units at 250 bed development Hillside House. Matching laminate is used for table tops in social areas.

Fabrication: Farrell Furniture

» What’s the difference between MFC and laminate?

www.egger.com/laminate-vs-mfc

Design: 56Three

Versatility

Choosing versatile materials that are suitable for multiple applications will streamline specification and fabrication, controlling project costs for these stages.

Eurodekor MFC is supplied ready to cut and edge into furniture, including beds, headboards, desks, wardrobes and kitchen units. An average PBSA unit requires 4 to 7 sheets of the material for these elements.

With 28 sheets per pack of 18 mm thickness, project fabricators can produce furniture for up to 7 units in a single run of the same decor.

18 mm MFC is held as standard industry stock UK wide via our distributors.

Eurodekor MFC is used for headboards, bed storage, shelving, desks and kitchen units at 140 bed development Curraheen Point.

» For more information on MFC www.egger.com/mfc

U504 ST9

H1145 ST10

U780 ST9

U163 ST9

Fabrication: Farrell Furniture Operator: Nido Student Living

Private bathrooms

6000 student beds were unusable during Covid-19 due to having shared bathrooms. Private bathrooms are now largely standard in new units. Specifiers commonly look to compact laminate for bathroom furniture, but it is rarely necessary. The sealed surface of Eurodekor MFC is perfectly suitable for cabinetry and IPS panels when finished with edging. This means the same board material used for bedroom or kitchen furniture can be used for bathroom vanities. Smaller vanity styles are an opportunity to utilise off cuts, keeping material costs down.

Choose Eurodekor MFC with matching worktops for uniform vanity units.

Laminate worktops offer a durable vanity top. Our 4.1m length format means that five average length tops can be cut from a single piece.

Cut a 920mm wide double-postformed variant down the middle and double output to ten.

The laminate surface offers stain resistance and antibacterial properties in accordance with ISO 22196.

» See the EGGER Worktops collection

www.egger.com/worktops

» For technical data and ISOs

www.egger.com/specifiers-handbook

H1176 ST37

F186

Eurodekor MFC F186 ST9 Light Grey Chicago Concrete

© Draks

Our EGGER PRO flooring offers a water resistant solution that reduces sub floor preparation and costly ongoing labour.

The cost saving alternative to tiles or LVT is 100% PVC and plasticisers free. Select decors are offered in matching furniture materials, meaning a brand

coreboard

At a glance

n Suitable for installation in wet areas

n More resistant to water swelling than conventional laminate

n No risk of warping when environmental conditions change

n Easy cleaning and maintenance with or without steam cleaner

» For more information visit www.egger.com/aquaplus

Robust, highly abrasion-

EPL166

EPL207

EPL005

Internal Doors

PBSA developments of multiple units require a high volume of interior doors.

Take a 100 unit site of 6 bed clusters with en suites, at 13 internal doors per unit. If painted or veneered doors are specified, the additional labour cost for 1300 doors is significant.

Door laminates require no additional labour after bonding and no ongoing maintenance. They are pre-cut to internal door dimensions for less processing and wastage. They are abrasion resistant, stable and lightfast, assuring design consistency if doors are replaced or the development extended.

Our door finishes are easily coordinated with matching furniture to maintain brand identity.

» See our Door Laminate stock range www.egger.com/door-laminate

U767 ST9

U963 ST9

© Nido Student Living

H1253 ST19

U646 ST9

U741 ST9

U750 ST9

Everything from a single source

In the student accommodation sector, EGGER supplies materials for bed bases, headboards, wardrobes, desks, shelving, kitchen units, worktops, bathroom vanities, internal doors, flooring and the structural flooring beneath.

EGGER is unique as a supplier in offering efficient and cost-effective solutions for all of the above from a single source.

H3158 ST19 Grey Vincenza Oak

EGGER

Laminate Flooring EPL166 Light Grey Chicago Concrete

H3158 ST19 Grey Vincenza Oak

Eurodekor

H3158 ST19 Grey Vincenza Oak

Eurodekor

U599 ST9 Indigo Blue

Eurodekor

U636 ST9 Fjord Green

Eurodekor MFC

U599 ST9 Indigo Blue

Eurodekor

H3158 ST19 Grey Vincenza Oak

Eurodekor

H3158 ST19 Grey Vincenza Oak

H3158 ST19 Grey Vincenza Oak

U636

EGGER PRO Laminate Flooring

EPL166 Light Grey Chicago Concrete

W1000 ST9 Premium White

Shown product material sizes

Eurodekor® MFC 2800 × 2070 × 18 mm

Door size laminate 2150 × 950 × 0.8 mm

Worktop 3050 × 600 × 38 mm

Splashback 3020 × 1210 × 8 mm

All applications fabricated with matching ABS edging.

H3158 ST19

F186 ST9

U599 ST9

U636 ST9

Eurodekor MFC

38 mm Worktop F186 ST9 Light Grey Chicago Concrete

Eurodekor MFC

MFC

MFC

Eurodekor MFC

Eurodekor MFC

ST9 Fjord Green

Door Size Laminate

MFC

MFC

PRO

W1000 ST9

38 mm Worktop F186 ST9 Light Grey Chicago Concrete

MFC

Greenflation

‘Greenflation’ is now a common industry term, referring to the increased capital developers spend to comply with climate objectives.

Is it necessary?

Not in interiors. Despite common misconception, sustainable need not mean costly. In fact, it can be significantly cost saving. Here, we explore some examples.

Specifying timber or wood veneer?

Solid oak can currently be 200% more costly than Eurodekor MFC in Feelwood decors.

MFC can be used for desks, shelving, wardrobes, beds, headboards, vanities and kitchen cabinets – almost all of the furniture requirements in a PBSA unit. This, and its negative embodied carbon, means using Eurodekor MFC can significantly reduce the environmental impact of a unit.

Eurodekor® MFC Ecofacts

Choose Feelwood decors where the closest look and feel of authentic timber is required.

85

H1181 ST37

U211 ST9

Exotic wood veneers look the part, but with global transportation can yield a hefty carbon footprint as well as cost.

Eurodekor MFC in veneer-like ST19 shares the environmental credentials above and removes the costly additions of international sourcing.

Specifying Eurodekor MFC also removes the need for bonding and treating veneer.

» Explore ST19 www.egger.com/insights

U211

Specifying stone or metal?

Natural materials like stone or metal can also be misconceived as sustainable, but it is rarely the case.

Extraction, transportation and specialist fabrication can heighten the cost and the environmental impact of a specification.

Our reproductions offer cost saving, greener alternatives in Eurodekor, worktops and splashbacks.

Unbranded stone, for example, can be over 1200% more costly than our stone reproduction worktops.

» Learn more about alternative materials www.egger.com/simple-swaps

H1253 ST19

F186 ST9

F461 ST10

© Welcome Furniture

© Alexandru Prodan; VIM studio

Durable worktops

Durability is high priority on PBSA worktop specifications and ease of install essential, especially in high unit volumes.

Specifiers can meet the criteria with EGGER laminate worktops in 25 mm and 38 mm thick formats, suitable for kitchens, bathrooms, desks, and counter tops in amenity spaces.

Postformed worktops

Short term residency often calls for higher durability. 38 mm postformed worktops combine resilient laminate with an HDF backing strip, for impact resistance and a smoother finish.

The PUR seal and drip bead ensure resistance to moisture ingress. Profile

Postformed worktops carry the lowest cost and are an ideal solution where budgets are under higher strain.

» See our worktop range www.egger.com/worktops

© Nido Student Living

The 4.1 m length worktop format is ideal for longer cluster unit kitchens.

Square Edge worktops

Square edge worktops cater for more contemporary design schemes. Stone, granite and oak reproductions offer realistic alternatives without ongoing maintenance or additional costs.

A durable 1.5 mm ABS edging strip, PUR strip and backing assure suitability.

Profile

Ease of install

Our worktops make planning per unit simple. The 4.1 m length is perfect for larger cluster kitchens, while the 3050 mm length postformed option offers easier transport and handling and is ideal for smaller studio kitchens.

Hygienic

Antibacterial surface properties come at no extra cost. Our worktops, splashbacks and upstands achieve the highest rating in accordance with ISO 22916.

» For technical data and ISOs

www.egger.com/specifiers-handbook

H1180 ST37

F076 ST75

Simple Swaps

Each issue of Specified has come amid cost challenges in the market. The trend continues in 2023.

Implementing cost saving in projects is crucial. To do this successfully is to do so without compromise to the design, quality, or performance.

To help specifiers achieve this, EGGER offers simple swaps for interior materials that can save costs both at material source and ongoing.

Saving at source

Save costs at material source by swapping real materials for cutting edge reproductions with a smaller price tag. The more advanced the reproduction decor (something mainly determined by texture), the closer the look and feel to the real thing. The less advanced the reproduction, the lower its cost.

Eurodekor MFC is used for bed surrounds, shelving and partition slats at The Depot.

Swapping wood veneer for Eurodekor MFC offers high cost savings on materials, labour and ongoing maintenance.

Fabrication: Troy

Design: Whittam Cox Architects

Operator: Generation

All images © The Depot, Generation

H3349 ST19

U646 ST9

F433 ST10

U325 ST9

Ongoing cost saving

Ongoing cost saving comes with the reduction of additional processing and further maintenance.

In multiple unit developments, further processing such as painting or treating will delay completion substantially. Additional costs are also likely when these processes need to be repeated in time.

EGGER reproduction materials require no further or recurring labour. Surfaces remain stable, meaning designs look as good over time as they do at install.

Archwood House

Archwood House at Eagle Wharf surpasses the interior design brief for modern PBSA.

Designed by Nelson and Long, the 393 bed development has a mixture of clusters and studio units and vibrant communal spaces. Specifying EGGER materials throughout streamlined the project from sampling to completion.

Nelson and Long’s interior designer Alicia Nelson told us:

Our design process involves us using EGGER as a jumping off board and the rest of the finishes complement their products.”

Eurodekor MFC was specified for bedroom and kitchen cabinetry, supporting the design team and client demand for environmentally sustainable materials.

Alicia told us:

Sustainability is a major factor when specifying for our clients, hence why EGGER is a good fit for us.”

Eurodekor® MFC Ecofacts

Design: Nelson and Long

Photography: Luca Ulysess Beckerson

Kitchens

The kitchen specification achieves a contemporary look with handleless unit doors, fabricated in U717 ST9 Dakar Grey 18 mm MFC with matching edging.

Our 2800 × 2070 mm material sheet size is optimised for cabinetry and means the mixed door sizes could be produced without excess waste.

Matching splashbacks create a coordinated look and share the hygienic properties of the worktops.

The frontals are complemented by 38 mm postformed worktops in F638 ST16 Chromix Silver, a stone reproduction.

A combination of 670 mm and 920 mm width options were chosen for varied design requirements.

» See more about sheet optimisation

www.egger.com/sheet-optimisation

» Read more about ISOs

www.egger.com/antibacterial

Photography: Josh Caddick

F638 ST16

U717 ST9

Bedrooms

Bed frames and wall storage were created in the bedrooms using Eurodekor MFC in H3332 ST10 Grey Nebraska Oak 18 mm MFC, with matching edging.

Using the material in multiple applications meant controlled costs and fabrication efficiency were carried throughout the project.

When asked about the design scheme and working with EGGER, Alicia told us:

We specify EGGER on most of our projects because of their vast and inspiring decor range. The different tactile qualities can bring some much-needed texture and depth to a scheme.”

H3332 ST10

U350 ST9

W1000 ST9 U961 ST2

Archwood House at Eagle Wharf’s clusters and studios were fabricated using 18 mm MFC, matching ABS edging, 38 mm worktops and splashbacks from UK stock via our national distributors.

Manufacturer of the Year EGGER wins

Mat Lab

Recognising our commitment to environmental sustainability, the judges called us:

An excellent example of an organisation who balances the market needs with its products against its impact on the environment.”

The award is also testament to our commercial achievements, product innovation, and contributions to charities and the local community.

Thank you, Mix Interiors.

The EGGER UK team rounded off 2022 by picking up the prestigious Manufacturer of the Year award at Mixology North 22.

Scott Davison, Victoria Hodgson and Kirsten Barman accepting the award.

Tools and services

EGGER Decorative App

Our app provides the entire Decorative Collection at your fingertips, whenever and wherever you need it. Find material information and easy sample ordering in one place. The client project area makes this the ideal tool for meetings on the go.

Download the EGGER Decorative Collection App now.

We offer a wide range of services and tools to help you and your clients get the most out of our comprehensive collection.

Our website and myEGGER

From technical datasheets, processing instructions, certificates and product availability, to case studies, trend information and services, egger.com has everything you need. If you use CAD, your package may already include EGGER decors. However if it doesn’t, we can supply decor scans for our full collection.

» Register at myegger.com and benefit now.

Support through visualisation

To bring your decor combination ideas to life we have a Virtual Design Studio (VDS). Access a wide range of room sets where you can apply different decors to see which suits your project. This can save you significant time in the early design stages.

» Find out more at www.egger.com/vds

Support through samples

Try before you specify when you need something more tangible than a brochure. You can order samples online or order them quickly and easily via the new collection app.

» To order your samples

www.egger.com/shop

Digital Design Platforms

Find us on NBS Source and bimstore

Specifiers Handbook

Use the EGGER Specifier‘s Handbook to access information about our products, certifications, and environmental and governance policies.

» Find out more at www.egger.com/specifiers-handbook

Contact information

If you would like to discuss any of the articles in this issue of Specified or learn more about EGGER products and services please contact a member of our Specification team, they will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

» For our Specification Team contact details please scan the QR code

EGGER (UK) Limited

Anick Grange Road

Hexham, Northumberland

NE46 4JS

t 0845 6068888

From R.O.I please call t +44 1434 613304 productsupport@egger.com

UK_en_03/2023

All our shown and mentioned decors are reproductions. Colour-matching a decor selection is only possible with an original sample. Due to variables in the printing process, colours may vary slightly from the actual product. Subject to technical modifications and printing errors.