Floor coverings from Nora Quality Rubber Flooring Systems have been meeting the functional, safety and aesthetic requirements of various airports worldwide.
Air travel remains a growing market with the number of air passengers worldwide set to double by 2034. Statistica GmbH reports that the number of passengers at German airports alone grew from 140.6 million to 216 million in the past 15 years. An airport is the first port of entry into any country for air travellers, and also the place where they get their first impression of a city, region or even an entire nation.
Airport design, therefore, focusses on creating an inviting and awe-inspiring atmosphere using materials that meet cost, safety, durability and aesthetic goals. Rubber floor coverings by Nora Systems can be found in hundreds of airports around the world. That is because Nora’s rubber floors combine functional characteristics such as durability, fire safety, slip resistance and ergonomics with a wide range of colours and designs.
Maximum fire safety
One of Nora Systems’ earliest airport projects was at the Frankfurt Airport in the early 1970s, when the floor covering that featured the well-known Norament studded surface was installed on around 80,000m² of floor space.
Considered a poster child for rubber floors ‘Made in Germany’, this project was followed by a series of installations ranging from the Shanghai Pudong Airport to the arrival terminal of Rotterdam The Hague Airport completed in 2016. Large quantities of Nora floor coverings have also been used in other airport-related projects. Being highly flame-retardant and free of PVC and halogens, Nora floor coverings provide an additional safety factor: no hydrogen chloride gas, which can lead to respiratory tract burns, is released in the event of a fire.
This property gives rubber floors a decisive advantage over other flexible floor coverings, such as those made of PVC. When PVC materials burn, the hydrogen chloride generated may dissolve in the water used to put out the fire to form hydrochloric acid, which can result in damage to buildings, machines and electrical contacts even if such objects are not in the direct vicinity of the fire source. Such secondary damage is often costlier to repair than the actual fire damage itself.
Nora floor coverings do not contain halogens, which means no toxic halogenated dioxins or furans are released when they burn. Further, the PVC-free, low-emission rubber floors, which have received the Blue Angel label as well as all other international environmental certifications, also contribute greatly to healthy indoor air inside airport buildings.
Anti-slip and ergonomic
Made completely of rubber, Nora floor coverings feature an anti-slip surface (slip-resistance ratings ranging from R9 to R11) ensuring more safety as well as comfort; permanent flexibility reducing stress on the back and joints and allowing both passengers and personnel to spend long stretches of time in airport buildings; and rubber surface reducing the amount of noise generated by footsteps and wheeled suitcases, thereby helping create a more comfortable environment.
Design-focused and economical
Floor coverings in public areas such as airports need to impress visitors with their attractive and high-quality appearance. Nora floor coverings retain their dimensions and can be laid without grouting, making it possible to realise a wide variety of custom designs. For example, rectangular inlays and inlay strips give London Gatwick, the ninth largest airport in Europe, as well as the terminals of Finland’s Ivalo Airport, the northernmost airport in the European Union, a distinct appearance.
Similar installations of Nora floor coverings can also be seen in Zhengzhou International Airport, where almost 10,000m² of Norament Grano have been installed in a noble shade of green since 2015. In the new arrival hall at the Rotterdam Airport, dark grey Norament tiles with bevelled edges are installed on around 1,200m² of floor area.
Nora floor coverings do not require any coating throughout their entire service life because of their dense, non-porous surface. These rubber floors are not only cost-effective with lower lifecycle costs, but are also highly wear-resistant and easy to clean, standing out through their extremely long service life.
