How sustainable coatings can contribute to the eco-transition

How sustainable coatings can contribute to the eco-transition

What properties does a sustainable coating have to have?

Sustainability is basically an umbrella term for future-proof, grandchildren-friendly behavior. Protecting our ecosystems from damage, avoiding waste, keeping air and water clean, reducing climate-damaging emissions, conserving resources – all of this contributes to sustainability. And we can make a positive contribution to each of these areas with our products.

Which aspects are particularly important?

On the one hand, coatings involve solvents. Solvent-based paints usually consist of more than 50 percent petroleum-based solvents, which evaporate after application. This is doubly harmful: fossil raw materials are used for production, and solvent emissions – so-called VOCs – harm the environment and climate. The far better alternative is water-based paints. The VOC content of our water-based paints is usually only two to five percent, and many of our wall paints, wood stains or the Bluefin Unistar furniture paint are even completely solvent-free. That's why our primary goal is to offer high-quality water-based coatings to make it as attractive as possible for our customers to switch to this sustainable alternative. We are proud that the proportion of water-based paint at Adler is now almost 70 percent – ​​and the trend is rising.

What about the Terra products in this regard?

We offer Terra products for all areas of application: the wall paint Aviva Terra Ultra-White, the clear varnish Terra-Diamond and the Terra Wax-Oil for furniture, the window coating system Aquawood Terra as well as Pullex Aqua-Terra, Lignovit Terra-Lasur and, now, the opaque Lignovit Terra-Color for wood indoors and outdoors. All of these products are water-based with an extremely low VOC content between zero and five percent. In addition, and this is what is special about Terra products, we mostly process bio-based raw materials.

What raw materials are these specifically?

First and foremost, it's about the binder, one of the main components of every varnish. Conventional binders are made from petroleum, whereas the binders in our Terra products are based on biomass, such as agricultural waste. For example, for every nine liter container of Aviva Terra Ultra White wall paint, a full three liters of petroleum can be saved. All other properties and of course the surface quality remain unchanged.

And what about the other ingredients?

Many other raw materials that we process in the Terra line are also of natural origin, and the following applies to all Adler products: We generally do not use environmental toxins, potentially carcinogenic or other health-endangering substances. Rather, we make sure to only use raw materials with the best possible environmental and health properties and constantly optimize our recipes to this end. For example, our wall paint Aviva Terra Ultra White is also free of potentially allergenic plasticizers and preservatives.

A much-discussed topic when coating wood outdoors is wood preservatives. How does Adler deal with this?

Wood preservatives are a good example of how there is no black or white when it comes to sustainability, but rather a comprehensive perspective. Biocidal active ingredients protect the wood or the coating from attack by algae, wood-destroying fungi and other pests. This allows the service life of the respective component, for example a window, to be significantly extended. And that means: less waste, less use of energy and resources, and you save money on top of that. There is no need to worry about health or the environment: We only use modern wood preservatives in extremely small doses, and in windows the active ingredient is only in the impregnation and is covered by the top coat so that it cannot evaporate into the indoor air or the environment - this has also been proven by measurements.

Does that mean that there is also something to be said for wood preservatives from a sustainability perspective?

That depends on the use case. Some manufacturers and builders deliberately want to avoid using wood preservatives, and if everything is done correctly, from production to installation to ongoing maintenance, then this is possible - as long as the surface is intact, the wood remains reliably protected. If, on the other hand, you are looking for an “all-round worry-free package”, you are better off with a coating containing active ingredients without having to take on environmental and health risks. Our philosophy at Adler is: We offer high-quality products for every area of ​​application and also provide competent advice.

Does that mean it's not just about the product itself, but about the overall package?

Exactly! On the one hand, of course, the ecological footprint of the product itself counts: We use bio-based raw materials for our Terra products, can largely do without solvents, we produce using an energy-efficient process using green electricity, and many containers are made from recycled material. But it is even more important to look at the entire life cycle: How long is the service life, how high is the ability to repair? And what happens to the product at the end of its life? Does it end up in the trash or can it be recycled?

How does Adler deal with the issue of product life cycles?

We consistently follow the principles of the circular economy. This means: Where possible, we use renewable raw materials and recycled materials at the beginning of the product cycle, and we work to ensure that the coated components and furniture can later be recycled and thus returned to the cycle. But I would even go one step further: the consideration must not end with the product life cycle, but must encompass the entire component or piece of furniture. Ultimately, the coating is only an important but relatively small part of the whole. For a good overall package, not only the coating must ensure a high standard of sustainability, but also all other elements.

Which materials are the best choice for this?

There is a very clear answer here: wood is the ultimate sustainable material - regardless of whether it is for the new bedroom, the windows or the facade. Forests are the green lungs of our earth; they are an indispensable source of CO2₂-Storage, have a positive effect on air and soil quality as well as the water balance. All parts of a tree can be recycled, from boards and veneers to wood pellets or bark mulch. The delivery routes for local wood are short, processing and manufacturing require relatively little energy - completely different to plastic, metal or concrete. And wood can be reused in many ways: an old piece of furniture can be used to make chipboard, chipboard can be used to make insulation, and insulation can be made into cardboard. It is therefore extremely pleasing that wood is currently experiencing a real boom in many areas. Windows and facades made of wood are popular, hospitals, schools, factories and residential buildings are built using wood, and many people consciously furnish their living spaces with a lot of wood. However, the prerequisite for this is a high-quality, environmentally friendly coating that permanently protects the wood. We can therefore be proud that our products make a significant contribution to a sustainable construction industry.