Sustainable and Durable Surfaces for the Himmelrych Kindergarten

Ecology and sustainability were central to the construction of the new Himmelrych kindergarten in Ins, Bern. As the building’s owner, the municipality wanted natural materials and a pollutant-free construction method to be used wherever possible. Wood played a major role in meeting this requirement. This renewable material was also used for the closets and storage shelves in the entrance area. These intensively used surfaces were also powder-coated using an innovative and extremely environmentally friendly process, making them both robust and durable.

Wahlirüefli Architekten und Raumplaner AG from Biel designed the kindergarten in collaboration with Rollimarchini Architekten AG, based in Bern. The requirements included blending the building harmoniously into the landscape while complying with the municipality’s strict ecological standards. In addition to the use of sustainable raw materials and a non-harmful construction method, the client placed great value on aesthetics and functionality. For example, the materials chosen for the structures and surfaces comply with the ECO-BKP standard – and the new building is the first school building in the canton of Bern to be certified in accordance with Minergie-A-ECO.

The municipality of Ins was keen to ensure that the little ones would feel comfortable in their new kindergarten, and be able to play and enjoy craft activities in a healthy environment. Accordingly, they stipulated that as much of the interior as possible should be made of wood – including the closets and shelves in the entrance area. To ensure that these highly stressed surfaces would maintain their beautiful appearance for as long as possible, they were powder-coated on the recommendation of the Hefti joinery, which was responsible for the interior fittings – rather than being liquid-varnished as is usually the case. Based on experience from previously completed projects and successful collaboration with the coating partner Ramseier Woodcoat AG from Thun, an extra robust variant of the IGP-RAPID® powder coating was chosen for these surfaces.

This innovative process offers numerous stunning advantages. Powder-coated wooden objects are scratch-proof and well protected against moisture. They are also easy to clean and the production process is very environmentally friendly. Moreover, they are free from pollutants and do not emit harmful vapors, as no solvents are used. And in the case of the Himmelrych kindergarten, they were also convincing in terms of price. The seamless all-round coating process made it possible to cover edges and surfaces in a single pass – with conventional processes, this takes considerably longer.

Whether used on kitchen furnishings or bathroom furniture, IGP-RAPID® low-temperature powder coatings are suitable for coating solid wood as well as MDF, HDF, and other wood composites. They are lightfast, weather-resistant, and – thanks to short drying or curing times – also more economical than conventional coating processes. Furthermore, the choice of colors is virtually limitless.