With the opening of the new campus, United World College (UWC) in Maastricht has become one of the most sustainable new schools in the Netherlands. With regard to building materials, energy supply and air quality, many sustainable solutions have been chosen. Due to the positive effects on the indoor air quality, the school chose DESSO AirMaster® for its offices, corridors and staff rooms. King Willem-Alexander performed the official opening.
UWC Maastricht one of the most sustainable new schools in the Netherlands
The UWC in Maastricht is the 12th branch in this global network of international schools which provide international education and facilities for children aged between 2 and 18. In Maastricht, nearly 700 students of over 90 nationalities receive an international education, making UWC Maastricht the second largest UWC in the world after Singapore. Worldwide, UWC has 12 schools with 7500 students from over 110 countries.
In view of the mission of the UWC organisation to create a sustainable future, the design and construction of the campus incorporates many sustainable aspects relating to the environment and energy. Thus UWC Maastricht is one of the most sustainable new schools in the Netherlands. Inside the buildings of UWC Maasticht, an area of around 1,200m² has been fitted with DESSO AirMaster® carpet.
DESSO AirMaster® makes a proven contribution to better indoor air quality in schools
Due to the proven reduction in the concentration of fine particles, the use of DESSO AirMaster® at UWC Maastricht contributes to a better living and working environment wherever it is installed. Since its introduction in 2010, a significant number of schools in Europe have chosen DESSO AirMaster® for its positive effects on indoor air quality.
Measurements carried out by the independent German test institute GUI have shown that DESSO AirMaster® is eight times more effective in capturing and retaining fine dust than hard flooring and four times more effective than standard carpet solutions. Previous research performed by GUI for the German Allergy and Asthma Society (DAAB) had already proven that the burden from fine dust is dramatically reduced when using carpet, as opposed to hard flooring.
Thanks to the thin yarns used, the carpet is able to capture and retain the smallest particular matter, while the coarser dust is captured by the thicker yarns which are also incorporated in the carpet. The structure of AirMaster® prevents the dust being released into the air again and allows them to be easily removed with a vacuum cleaner, resulting in a considerable improvement to the indoor climate.
“Healthy schools are vitally important for the health and performance of our children. It is our task to ensure that children are able to learn in a healthy, pleasant environment. Scientific research has shown that clean air makes an important contribution to children’s concentration and their learning results. The opening of the new UWC Maastricht, which incorporates numerous applications to improve the indoor climate, is thus an excellent example of how we are doing our best for our children.”
Roland Jonkhoff, Regional Managing Director of Desso