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Sustainable partitions
April 24, 2025
2 Minute Read time

Prioritising sustainability in moveable wall solutions

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With sustainability now at the heart of all new build and refurbishment projects, architects, specifiers, and contractors are urged to closely assess the environmental credentials of all moveable wall systems before choosing a solution.

According to Andy Gibson, Style’s director for the North, the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a critical benchmark when evaluating the sustainability of moveable walls.

“An EPD communicates the environmental performance of a moveable wall, and for each product, a life cycle analysis (LCA) is carried out in accordance with ISO 14040,” explains Andy.

“Having an EPD enables architects and contractors to participate in tenders involving sustainable building certification procedures such as BREEAM, LEED, and SKA.”

“Our advice is to always request and verify a product’s EPD before specifying moveable walls —particularly in sustainability-driven projects.”

Style was the first UK supplier to offer EPD-certified moveable walls in accordance with ISO 14025 and EN15804, and continues to lead the sector in providing environmentally efficient, flexible solutions for modern spaces.

From offices and educational settings to hospitality venues and local authority buildings, moveable walls are an increasingly popular way to create adaptable space. But flexibility should not come at the cost of environmental responsibility.

Key advice:

  • Always verify a product’s EPD to ensure compliance with sustainability certifications like BREEAM, LEED, and SKA.
  • Request evidence of life cycle analysis (LCA) in accordance with ISO 14040 to understand a product’s environmental footprint.
  • Consider suppliers with a proven track record of sustainable innovation—Style was the first UK provider of EPD-certified moveable walls.
  • Use flexible space solutions that support both functional design and long-term environmental goals.

Style is the UK’s leading specialist in moveable, folding, and sliding wall systems, offering a wide range of solutions for different budgets and space requirements.

For more information, please contact your nearest regional Style office.

2026 © Style Group

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Zero-Joint Technology in the Healthcare Sector

NHS England’s Health Building Note 00-09 states clinical surfaces should be “impervious, designed for easy cleaning and free of fissures and unsealed joints.”
  • Laser-bonded, adhesive-free edge, with no seam or adhesive strip
  • Designed in line with the surface characteristics HBN 00-09 describes for clinical areas
  • Formaldehyde emissions tested significantly below the EU's REACH formaldehyde limit, in effect from 6 August 2026

Why it matters

HBN 00-09 sets out these surface characteristics because unsealed joints are a recognised place for moisture and micro-organisms to collect. A genuinely joint-free edge is designed to address that specific detail.

This is a surface and edge specification, not a clinical claim. Zero-joint technology has not been evaluated or certified by NHS England, and does not claim to reduce infection rates.

Zero-Joint Technology in the Hospitality Sector

Guest-facing spaces and food-service areas face frequent hygiene inspections and heavy daily use — seamless panels help simplify housekeeping and keep finishes looking newer for longer.
  • Seamless edge finish, with no visible transition between edge and panel surface
  • 100% adhesive-free construction — no hot-melt adhesive layer to fail
  • Edge processing on all four sides, built for daily commercial use
  • Low-maintenance and easy to clean

Why it matters

Food-service and guest-facing areas are typically inspected under hygiene and housekeeping standards that look closely at surfaces and joints. A seamless, moisture-resistant edge is designed with exactly that kind of scrutiny in mind.

Every one of these sectors shares the same underlying surface problem: a bonded-strip edge is a seam, and a seam is a place where dirt, moisture or wear can concentrate in a way a continuous surface can't. Zero-joint technology addresses that one structural detail across offices, schools, healthcare and hospitality settings alike — one construction detail, one shared weak point removed, four sectors that each care about it for their own reasons.

Zero-Joint Technology in the Education Sector

Classrooms and shared facilities see high daily footfall from children and staff, so partitioning needs to withstand daily wear and support fast, thorough cleaning.
  • Seamless, adhesive-free edge with no strip to lift or wear loose over time
  • Moisture-resistant, low-maintenance surface
  • Independently tested for VOC emissions to AgBB and EN 16516

Why it matters

Schools see some of the highest footfall of any building type relative to their size, and surface durability directly affects how long fittings stay presentable between refurbishment cycles. A seam-free edge that can't lift or peel with repeated impact and cleaning is a genuinely lower-maintenance fixture over the life of the building.

Zero-Joint Technology in the Corporate Sector

Open-plan offices and meeting suites see constant daily use — surfaces need to look sharp for years without high maintenance.
  • Seamless edge finish, with no visible transition between edge and panel surface
  • 100% adhesive-free construction — no hot-melt adhesive layer to fail
  • Edge processing on all four sides, built for daily commercial use
  • Low-maintenance and easy to clean

Why it matters

An adhesive seam is one of the few places on a standard partition edge where dust, spillage residue or cleaning-product build-up can collect, simply because it isn't a flat, continuous surface. Removing that seam removes that particular weak point — a lower-maintenance fixture designed to stay looking sharp for longer.

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