In 2020, Aura was impressed to see the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) push the state towards a more sustainable future. The VSBA released a commendable new policy that moves away from new projects using NATIVE FOREST TIMBER and toxic PVC based materials for sports and multipurpose school flooring.
With Aura Sports floors found in school halls and venues across every state and territory in Australia, we’re walking the talk when it comes to looking after the world we’re leaving behind for the next generation.
In line with our own sustainable outlook and products, our hope is that other school building authorities around the country will adopt a similar approach as Victoria.
Treading lightly
1.5 million square metres — that’s the total area of sports floors Aura Sports has installed over the decades. We know this isn’t an insignificant number, that’s why we continue to give careful consideration to ensure our practices are as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible.
While our sports floors are designed to take years of impact and activity, our carbon and ecological footprint is as light as possible. The millions of square metres of sports flooring we install for kids to develop, learn, and play on gives us extra impetus to provide products that don’t harm our natural environment.
As a family business of over 32 years, sustainability is important to us. We do not use native or old growth timbers, and minimise the use of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in our floors.
A second life, for life
With so much waste in the building and construction industry, we’re proud to use recycled materials in our Pulastic floors. These floors can contain approx. 500 recycled car tyres per Basketball court, while boasting the lowest VOC emissions of any polyurethane flooring. And unlike other flooring systems, which at the end of their life are removed, disposed of and replaced (for some floors this can happen after the first few years of use), Pulastic will last for the lifetime of a building.
Recycled flooring means no compromise in quality either. Where a hall needs to be truly multipurpose and versatile, there is no beating Pulastic to shift seamlessly between sports and exam configurations.
Direct from sustainable plantations
Sustainability also extends to our strip timber and engineered hardwood floors. Using only certified timbers endorsed by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) means we can track exactly where our wood comes from, and our clients have the peace of mind knowing that their new floor didn’t originate from Native or Old Growth Forest.
Sustainable for the bottom line too
Traditionally, older style strip timber floors warp and develop inconsistencies over time resulting in expensive maintenance. But our engineered timber flooring, Helsinki, is as cost effective as it is sustainable. Helsinki uses only what’s needed with a thin layer of precious plantation hardwood on top as opposed to superseded methods that incur a lot of timber wastage. It’s superior from both a lifespan and a performance perspective.
This philosophy extends to our Pulastic floor too, compared to other synthetic flooring such as vinyl and PVC that needs to be totally removed and replaced, Pulastic is simply resurfaced if any damage or wear occurs.
Aura will continue to use products that are recycled, repairable, sustainable and long-lasting because caring about the future shouldn’t mean compromising on quality.
Get in touch with Aura today to find out more about our sustainable flooring solutions.