Dulux Trade creates a sustainable shoppers' paradise

Opening its doors to the public on 30th October 2008, Westfield London is set to become the largest shopping centre in Greater London at approximately 150,000 sq m. The 1.6bn landmark Westfield London regeneration project will accommodate some of the world's finest brands and will house more than 265 specialty shops, over 40 places to dine, a 16-screen cinema, a health and beauty retreat and a gymnasium.

Dulux Trade, part of ICI Paints, the industry leading manufacturer of quality paint systems, is working closely with Westfield London on this exciting regeneration project. Through an innovative service package including products and support for the development, Dulux Trade is delivering sustainable and cost saving benefits to support Westfield's project objectives.

Ralph Blacklaws of Commercial Constructions at Dulux Trade explains: "Our work with Westfield highlights our capabilities when operating on major construction projects in the UK. Westfield London provided a specific opportunity to develop an innovative service package to include the full range of Dulux Trade products as well as recycling provisions and the Dulux Trade Environmental Wash System. Our track record on quality products, added value support and industry leadership in sustainable solutions are all demonstrated on this project. This successful partnership is working on site and providing real benefits for the environment."

Dulux Trade Diamond Eggshell is being used across all common areas of the project. This tough, durable, water-based paint incorporates Dulux Diamond technology, making it ten times more stain resistant than standard water-based eggshell finishes and ten times tougher than vinyl silks. Its quick drying formula and low odour compared to solvent based paints makes it ideal for use in high traffic areas where minimal disruption but maximum durability is required.

"The Diamond range helps to reduce maintenance cycles and associated costs due to its increased durability," continues Ralph. "This, alongside the reduced VOC content of water-based paints, adds to the sustainability of the product and ultimately the development. This was vital for the Westfield London project."

For a development of this size, maximising labour time spent on the job is a key consideration and Dulux Trade has ensured that paint stock and sundries are available on-site 24/7 via the manned on-site paint shop, a modular Dulux Decorator Centre (DDC). The DDC is also responsible for providing a dedicated team on-site at all times, supplying a full range of decorating products and services to the Westfield project. Having the benefit of fully trained staff on-site means Westfield is able to save time on the project through minimizing travel off-site.

In addition, by working closely with Westfield London, the sub-contractors using paint products are canvassed to ascertain their requirements. A delivery programme is then operated ensuring maximum use of "full load" deliveries to the store whenever possible. The deliveries that are made, are restricted to outside work hours, reducing site traffic and interruptions and avoiding impacting work progress.

This coordinated approach eliminates generating unnecessary carbon emissions caused by taking multiple deliveries from different contractors or travelling to different suppliers, saving an estimated 350,000 miles of travel.

Dulux Trade is also committed to recycling one hundred percent of its paint cans on the Westfield site. Blue branded collection bins are located around the site so that ground wastage is avoided. Dulux Trade estimates that 50,000 cans of paint will be used in this project, which if stacked together would reach a staggering 11.5km in length, highlighting how crucial this recycling scheme is to the development.

Dulux Trade has also strategically placed its unique Environmental Wash Systems around the site to provide an environmentally responsible way of washing out painting tools, such as brushes, trays and rollers. The first of its kind in the UK, these systems convert waterborne paint washings into clear water and solid waste, allowing for easier and safer disposal. This has become an indispensable part of the Westfield project's decorating clean-up process.

Gary Peck, Senior Procurement Manager for Westfield said: "We approached ICI Paints to come on board with Westfield to develop a Westfield London innovative package. At Westfield London we operate at the cutting edge of construction delivery, constantly looking for new ways to do things that can deliver tangible time and cost benefits. This is exactly what has been jointly developed with the ICI Paints team. The dedicated on-site service means installation Sub Contractors can save time and money, as there is an on-site paint shop with excellent communication lines along with upfront specification developments, which ensure the right products are being used."