SUSTAINABLE DESIGN (CAST) floors with a future 

Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze certification for PU screeds

Arturo received the new Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze certification for its Arturo PU2030 and PU2050 design (poured) floors in early June. "The certification is a great endorsement of our sustainability and circularity efforts and the result of approximately two years of development and testing," says Tom Borggreve, Manager of Product Management at Arturo. "As a team, we managed to secure Cradle to Cradle certification for no less than two (!) chemical-based cast floors. That is really very special and offers clients the assurance that they are working with proven and demonstrably sustainable products."

To reduce global warming, curb rising sea levels, restore flora and fauna and improve public health, it is important to minimize our ecological footprint. Using energy, resources, water and waste more economically and consciously is essential to stop pollution and global depletion and leave a livable world for our future generations. 

"For Arturo, this includes developing products that are better for employees, processors and clients," Borggreve says. "In addition to delivering high-quality solutions, sustainability is key. We reduce our environmental impact by reducing emissions, using energy efficiently, saving water, separating waste and using recycled materials. This is reflected in our 'green factory', packaging and products. We integrate the Cradle to Cradle principles throughout our organization. From selecting safe raw materials to performing life cycle analyses and implementing recycling programs, with the goal of making all our products circular."

The Arturo PU2030 and PU2050 design (poured) floors are solvent-free floor finishes based on polyurethane resin and with a high degree of UV stability. The floors are suitable as aesthetic finishes for both cement and gypsum-based substrates, Borggreve said. "Whereas the Arturo PU2030 Cast Floor is particularly suitable for floors with light loads, such as in homes, offices and schools, the Arturo PU2050 Cast Floor lends itself ideally to floors with light to medium loads. From offices to schools, stores, hospitality and health centers. Both Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze cast floors are safe, low emission and contribute to a healthier living environment. The floors guarantee durability, wear resistance and ease of maintenance and help achieve BREEAM, LEED and DGNB targets."

Cradle to Cradle Certified® certificate

The Cradle to Cradle Certified® certification program assesses the overall sustainability of products throughout their life cycle. The UV-stable, permanently elastic, low-emission and liquid-proof Arturo PU2030 and PU2050 self-levelling screeds received Bronze certification in early June. Silver was achieved within three of the five categories and even a gold score was achieved in the Renewable Energy category. Key results:

Material Health - Bronze

"Our products have been assessed for at least 95% for the origin of raw materials. This included looking at working conditions at our suppliers," Borggreve said. "Harmful substances have been replaced with more sustainable alternatives where necessary, and for all unlisted or problematic substances, Arturo has developed a phase-out or replacement strategy. There are no substances present in the materials on the banned list. Arturo polyurethane screeds consist of at least 85% of natural fillers."

Material Reutilization - Silver

All products were assessed against the circularity index, which guarantees recyclability and effective use of finite resources. "This shows that more than 65% of the product weight of Arturo PU2030 and PU2050 cast flooring is made up of recycled, recyclable, biodegradable or rapidly renewable materials," says Borggreve. "In the coming years, we would like to expand this share further."

Renewable energy - Gold

"The Arturo PU2030 and PU2050 cast floors are produced virtually CO2 neutral and with 100% of renewable energy in our green factory in Haaksbergen," Borggreve says. "We use only green electricity and our production process is energy-efficient. Our roof insulates and improves biodiversity. Sedum plants trap CO2 and produce oxygen, and the rainwater that falls on the roof is used as sanitary flushing water."

Water Stewardship - Silver

Arturo deals responsibly with water management. Also in the production process. For example, effective strategies and technologies have been implemented to optimize water use and minimize water losses.

Social Fairness Level - Silver

Finally, Arturo embraces its social responsibility by supporting social and regional projects. For example, people with a distance to the labor market are employed and supervised. Social aspects within the product supply chain are also actively examined.