Finding the perfect cladding product for the education sector can be challenging. While we look for a product that is aesthetically pleasing and both ‘healthy’ and sustainable, we also need to factor in longevity, durability and how much (or how little) maintenance is required, particularly in our tough New Zealand environment.
Fibre cement is a material that ticks all of these boxes, and EQUITONE is, in our opinion, at the top of the list when it comes to quality. EQUITONE High-Density Fibre cement is a mineral composite material with outstanding aesthetic and physical properties designed as cladding by and for architects. Allowing people to create a positive environment for young people to learn and develop, with a minimal ecological footprint.
Tried and tested to withstand even the wildest kids.
Educational buildings are intensively used, often not only in the intended ways. EQUITONE facade sheets are made of fibre cement. A lightweight composite material that is hard as stone and utterly robust, with an expectancy of more than 50 years. To ensure our facade panels are resistant to school kids, we submitted the 12 mm EQUITONE boards to a ball-throw safety test (in accordance with DIN 18032-3, MFPA Leipzig).
We fitted EQUITONE [natura] PRO and EQUITONE [pictura] with graffiti protection to ensure that unwanted ‘works of art’ can be easily removed with a graffiti cleaner.
Facades can be fun!
Educational buildings are places of creativity and spaces to develop. Creative character is reflected in the design of facilities, all while remaining practical and functional. Staff and pupils spend at least 170 days a year in these educational facilities, reinforcing the importance of creating the right environment.
The EQUITONE facade cladding comes in earthy and trendy surface textures and colours, and you can personalise it using various processing techniques including engraving. Offering you unlimited possibilities to give any school building a stylish makeover.
A good indoor climate contributes to concentration.
A facade is not only a purely external feature, it also significantly influences the indoor climate. EQUITONE facade sheets can be combined with any insulation, keeping pupils warm in winter and the heat out in summer. Having a positive impact on the energy efficiency of the public building (and on the bill for heating and cooling). With the ventilated rain screen system, air can circulate behind the facade cladding avoiding humidity and effectively protecting the inner structure of the building and the classroom from moisture, mould growth and interior water condensation. The extra skin around the building also contributes to noise control.
Immaculate safety, non-combustable and sustainability.
The highest fire protection requirements apply to schools and other educational facilities. EQUITONE is a safe option because the fibre-cement facade panels are classified as non-combustible (A2-s1, d0), exceeding the fire-safety requirements in most countries. EQUITONE facade panels are extremely robust and do not emit harmful gases, making these panels suitable for indoor use. The indoor use creates additional creative possibilities for architects, letting the external facade continue inside the building.
Last but not least, environmental criteria are always part of a public tender for schools. EQUITONE is a sustainable choice. Its panels are composed of naturally available materials. Thanks to their strength and thinness, fewer natural resources are used to reach the same performance. EQUITONE is disassembly-proof, recyclable, and produced with as little energy, water, transport, and waste as possible.