Bristol Airport manages over nine million passengers every year. Aiming to grow its capacity to take on more passengers, the airport has recently undergone an extensive expansion as part of its development plans. With new buildings to decorate and health and wellbeing objectives to meet as part of their vision, the team turned to Johnstone’s Trade.

 

Bristol Airport has come a long way since opening its doors in 1930. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is its ambition for sustained growth. With planning approval in place to handle 10 million passengers per year, the airport is heavily investing in its own development.  
 
Part of the exciting changes include the recent construction of a new three-storey office block, comprising a gym, a police station and training rooms, as well as various other administration facilities. One of the primary aims of Bristol Airport when it came to introducing this new building was to provide a positive environment that supports the health and wellbeing of its occupants, and this was a key objective put to R&M Williams when they turned to the painting contractor for a solution.
 
New build, new challenges
Every aspect of the development needed to be specified with sustainability and wellbeing in mind, and one of the main concerns for Bristol Airport’s project managers was indoor air quality. However, the fact that this was a new build development put this pursuit at risk, as many materials used in new builds emit potentially harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) into the surrounding air.
 
Formaldehyde is a particularly harmful VOC. Present within all houses and public spaces in varying concentrations, it is emitted from a wide range of commonly used materials, such as chipboards, fibreboards, furniture, carpet, glue and interior fabrics – and would therefore be present in the new Bristol Airport building.
 
A breath of fresh air
Having recently learned about the environmental and healthcare benefits of Johnstone’s Trade Air Pure, the team at R&M Williams knew straight away they wanted to recommend the wall and ceiling paint for the interior decoration.
 
From the point of application, Air Pure neutralises up to 70 per cent of formaldehyde from the air, helping to continually improve the indoor environment over a number of years. Thanks to its revolutionary Air Purifying technology, architects and designers are able to improve indoor air quality immediately and far into the post-construction phase. The paint is also 45 per cent bio-based and comes in packaging made from 100 per cent recycled materials, further helping to improve sustainability credentials.
 
Darryn Parry, managing director of R&M Williams, said: “Understanding the end client’s focus on sustainability and awareness of their employees’ wellbeing, we knew Johnstone’s Trade Air Pure was right for the job. Every part of this paint has been designed to minimise its environmental impact and create healthier spaces.
 
“Not only does it have clear environmental benefits, but the product was also really easy to apply and the coverage was comparable with your everyday emulsions, meaning there was no need for additional coats. Touching up was also a pleasure as there was little sign of flashing. We won’t hesitate to continue using Air Pure on future jobs. In fact, we’ve already used it on the third building at this project, Aviation House, and continue to be impressed by its performance.”
 
Looking to the future
The industry-wide focus on indoor air quality continues to rocket, with the control of VOCs now being a key criterion for environmental bodies such as BREEAM, LEED and the International WELL Building Institute, which promote health and wellbeing in the built environment. With the level of attention paid to indoor air quality showing no signs of slowing down, Bristol Airport was determined to create a space that would continue to support the wellbeing of its staff for many years to come.
 
Andrew Goodenough, development director at Bristol Airport, said: “Protecting both our employees and the environment was at the heart of this project, and Johnstone’s Trade Air Pure really helped us deliver this goal through its unique and innovative technology – we were very impressed! Knowing that we’re providing the healthiest working environment possible is really reassuring. Not only that, but the finish is spectacular, which is testament to the hard work and skill of R&M Williams. We look forward to using Air Pure on future projects.”
 
For more information about Air Pure, visit: https://www.johnstonestrade.com/airpure.