Sustainable design is no longer an emerging trend; it is here to stay. Regulatory and legislative development continues to drive green building in Australia and bodies such as the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) and the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council are lobbying for further changes to mandate sustainable building practices. Growing public and industry concern about the waste and emissions associated with increased construction has put pressure on the construction industry to develop new buildings that implement sustainable design principles and are certified according to local and international green building standards. 

Run by the International Living Future Institute, the Living Building Challenge is the world’s most rigorous standard for green buildings. Going a step further than Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, the Living Building Challenge aims for net-zero or net-positive energy, and buildings that are free of toxic chemicals, with an energy footprint multiple times lower than that of a generic commercial structure. Organised into seven performance areas called “Petals”, the Living Building Challenge requires that buildings be regenerative spaces that connect occupants with the environment; are self-sufficient; produce more energy than they use; and are healthy and beautiful. 

With sustainability at the forefront of modern building design, designers, architects and specifiers are challenged to reconfigure the ways they create built environments and identify sustainably sourced and manufactured, low impact and non-toxic building materials that meet the lofty goals set by standards such as the Living Building Challenge. 

Manufactured by Panguaneta and distributed by Elton Group, EPly PanguaPureGlue™ is a no added formaldehyde (NAF), architectural grade plywood that utilises a revolutionary non-toxic, soy bonding system. The soy bonding system does away with traditional urea formaldehyde and phenolic glues, both of which can emit harmful volatile organic compounds, and replaces them with soy-based bonding technology. Suitable for wall and ceiling lining, joinery and furniture, PanguaPureGlue™ is a safe, healthy building solution for a wide range of projects including hospitals, houses, schools and childcare centres.

Available in 2440 x 1220mm and 3050 x 1220mm panel sizes and six thicknesses, PanguaPureGlue™ is half the weight of standard medium density fibreboard and stable, making it easy to use and install. Ideal for a wide variety of applications, this product is also easily cut and machined allowing it to meet specific project requirements.

Under the materials Petal in the Living Building Challenge standard, materials must be non-toxic and low impact. Manufactured from their own Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified grown timber, this versatile plywood is the result of a “zero miles” supply chain in which the entire cycle, from sowing to industrial processing, occurs within the same geographical area. Each panel is traceable in terms of raw material, physical characteristics and processing. PanguaPureGlue™ is manufactured according to principles of responsible utilisation of resources and production. 

Along with FSC certification, PanguaPureGlue™ contributes to Green Star points under GBCA’s Green Star rating system and is also:

  • California Air Resources Board (CARB) Phase 2 compliant;
  • Japanese Industry (JIS) F**** compliant;
  • Australian Standard/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS) E0 compliant; and
  • LEED compliant.
     

CARB Phase 2, JIS F**** and AS/NZS E0 are rating systems or standards pertaining to the emission of formaldehyde in wood products. Independently certified to have formaldehyde emissions below 0.004 ppm (0.04 mg/L), PanguaPureGlue™ allows factory workers, builders and end users alike to rest assured they are not inhaling any harmful, toxic fumes.

For over 70 years, Elton Group has been a market leader in the supply of high quality interior architectural products in Australia. All Elton Group products demonstrate a commitment to environmentally sustainable sourcing and manufacturing methods. Made according to Elton Group’s rigorous standards for quality, sustainability and performance, PanguaPureGlue™ plywood signals the emergence of the next generation of eco-friendly wood products and applications.

For more information and to learn more about PanguaPureGlue™, visit Elton Group’s website at https://eltongroup.com/panguapureglue.